The Liuzhou Model for Mobility Electrification Liuzhou, PRC

50K

PAssENGERs PER dAY ON ThE BRT

Inhabitants 5.62 million

GdP per capita $12,288

Geographic area 10,942 km²

ThE ChAllENGE

In recent years, the number of private cars in Jinhua has increased annually by 15%, resulting in poor air quality and congestion. In response, the municipal government is establishing an integrated, multimodal public transport system with rapid transit as its backbone.

CO-BENEFITs

social

Affordable public transport such as BRT can help improve access to public services such as health care and job opportunities for all parts of society.

health

Replacing private vehicles with BRT can reduce air pollution and improve air quality for citizens in Jinhua.

JinhUa, prC the prC’s first electric Bus network

To strengthen the viable alternatives of low-carbon travel, Jinhua city in the PRC opened its first electric bus rapid transit (BRT) line, stretching 180 km through the city.

The PRC’s first electric BRT first opened in 2015, providing Jinhua’s 5 million citizens with a low-carbon alternative to driving—still the number one form of transport in the city.

The bus route, which has its own lane throughout the city, bypasses cars stationary in traffic and helps reduce air pollution by taking cars off the road. Jinhua’s BRT has 167 buses operating across six different lines across the city, able to accommodate 50,000 passengers per day.

With the urban population growing at about 15 million people per year, almost 60% of residents now live in cities (up from one-third in 2000). With this increase comes a challenge in providing low-cost and efficient transportation. Electric BRT is one way to provide an alternative to polluting and inefficient car transport, reducing emissions from the transportation sector.

Globally, BRT has proven to be a high-capacity public transport mode that can be implemented in a short time and at a relatively low cost. The challenge lies in how BRT is perceived among citizens, as it is often considered inferior to metro systems and private vehicles.

low-carbon public transport. Jinhua has opened the PRC’s first electric BRT line, comprising 167 buses operating across six different lines in the city, and providing a low-carbon alternative to driving (photo by Yonghe Sun).