Eletra is a Brazilian bus manufacturer that has always wanted to innovate since its foundation in 1988. Thinking of finding solutions for public transport, the company became a reference in the production of electric buses in the trolleybus (air network), hybrid ( motor-generator + battery) and electric (battery).
In 1999, it manufactured its first hybrid articulated vehicle with a regenerative braking system and energy recovery, which would serve as the basis for a Marcopolo Viale. Today, the brand is present with nearly 400 electric propulsion buses that operate in Greater São Paulo, as well as cities such as Rosario, in Argentina, and Wellington, in New Zealand.
Now Eletra seeks to make a giant leap in its expansion, announcing that it will soon be able to produce up to 1,800 electric buses/year at its new headquarters in São Bernardo do Campo, ABC Paulista. Eletra's new headquarters will be located a few meters from companies such as Mercedes-Benz, Extra Hypermarket and Grob do Brasil.
According to Eletra, the expansion of the facilities is part of an investment plan whose objective is to position the company as the main national industry of heavy electric vehicles. The new headquarters will be officially inaugurated in July and at the moment, the building is being adapted to house all the industrial divisions and the assembly lines.
With this new investment, Eletra will be able to immediately meet the growing demand for electric buses in cities that have approved laws and programs to exchange diesel fleets for zero emission fleets. Although the bulk of sales will be concentrated in Brazil, there is also interest in the growing Latin American market, mainly making contacts with businessmen from Argentina, Ecuador and Mexico who have shown interest.
Eletra produces the 100% electric e-Bus and the electric hybrid Dual Bus, in different configurations (12 m, 15 m, 18 m and 23 m, articulated or not). It also produces the most modern versions of trolleybuses in operation in Brazil, equipped with batteries that give them autonomy without contact with the air network. In 2019, the company began offering a retrofit service for cargo trucks, while in May 2021, in São Paulo, it directly participated in the launch of the world's first electric armored vehicle. It also launched a line of modular electric chargers for buses and trucks, with powers ranging from 15 kW to 120 kW.