Paraguay begins electromobility push with international support

Paraguay is taking the first steps in its electromobility plan with help from Taiwan and the NAMA facility, aiming to replace all public transport buses with electric vehicles in the five largest cities by 2040, involving 6,292 units. 

“There are three electric buses working in Asunción’s metropolitan area. In Ciudad del Este [Alto Paraná department] there are 20 buses,” deputy transport minister Óscar Stark told BNamericas. 

The plan contains two main initiatives. The first involves a donation of 10 electric buses and five chargers from Taiwan. These will operate on the capital’s Mariscal Estigarribia and Eusebio Ayala avenues, while the public works ministry (MOPC) will be in charge of building the charging stations, documents show. 

Before that, a pilot program will run two electric buses between the capital’s international airport and Mariscal López avenue. 

The other main initiative comes from the NAMA facility and looks to add 1,000 buses in a 10-year period, Stark said. 

This would entail a US$19.4mn investment, which includes funds from a US$40mn credit line approved by French development agency AFD last year to promote energy efficiency measures for SMEs. 

The credit line would offer a US$30,000 subsidy for the acquisition of the first 300 buses. 

Other goals in the electromobility plan that Paraguay unveiled last month, include converting at least 50% of the taxi fleet by 2040, equivalent to 10,638 units. 

It is estimated that this would help the country save US$1.6bn on its fuel imports by 2030. 

Other countries in the region have made major electromobility progress in recent years, with Bogotá and Santiago currently competing over being the city with the largest electric bus fleet outside of China.