On December 9, 2024, the delivery ceremony of HIGER's pure electric buses was held in front of Uruguay Presidential Palace. Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou attended the delivery ceremony and cut the ribbon for HIGER. Uruguayan Foreign Minister Omar Paganini, Minister of Transport and Public Works, José Luis Falero, Minister of Industry, Energy and Mining, Elisa Facio, Mayor of Canelones, Marcelo Metediera, China's Ambassador to Uruguay, Huang Yazhong, Juan Antonio Salgado, President of CUTCSA, a bus company in Uruguay, Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Uruguay, Jiang Minghui and other guests attended the ceremony. It is reported that this batch of orders totaled 100 buses, and all of them have been delivered at present, which is the largest order for pure electric bus in Uruguay's history.

At the delivery ceremony, President Luis Lacalle Pou personally cut the ribbon and visited HIGER. He spoke highly of China's great achievements in the field of electric vehicles and expressed the hope to further strengthen the cooperation between Uruguay and China in the field of clean energy.

Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou (first from right) cut the ribbon for HIGER

In the face of severe global climate change, an increasing number of countries have begun to attach importance to carbon dioxide emissions. Uruguay, as the first MERCOSUR member to join the Belt and Road Initiative, has accelerated the electrification of public transport by relying on its abundant electric power resources, and has now become one of the leaders in electrification of public transport in South America.

Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou (first from right in front row) and China's ambassador to Uruguay Huang Yazhong exchanged views at the bus delivery ceremony

Escorted by quality and service, HIGER successfully landed in Uruguay

Uruguay has a temperate climate with an average annual temperature of 16.5℃, which is an ideal environment for the operation of pure electric buses. Group C, the largest bus operator in Uruguay, now has about 1,500 diesel-driven buses, more than 120 urban and intercity routes, carrying about 240 million passengers every year, with a cumulative mileage of about 73 million kilometers.

After deciding to transform into new energy buses, C Group selected nearly 20 brands of pure electric buses around the world to perform real bus tests in the local area. In the end, HIGER stood out from many bus brands with the advantages of high-quality products, reliable after-sales service and customized service, and garnered the first order for pure electric buses, the largest order of this kind in Uruguay. This made HIGER famous overseas once again and opened up another "fertile" ground for new energy buses.

In order to better adapt to the local conditions, meet the demands of Uruguayan clients and improve the passenger travel experience, HIGER has customized this batch of 100 new energy buses for the client after full investigation at the early stage. There are two models, single and double-deck buses, with the body length exceeding 12 meters, opening a new chapter in the operation of new energy buses in Uruguay.

Deeply catering to clients' needs, HIGER won wide acclaim immediately after delivery

It is worth mentioning that on the eve of delivery, HIGER's after-sales team has arrived in Uruguay early and made a series of preparations to ensure the smooth delivery of the buses. Through pre-job training for drivers and fleet managers, HIGHER enabled everyone to quickly master and adapt to the operation mode of new energy buses. It is understood that HIGER's after-sales team will be stationed in Uruguay on a long-term basis, providing all-round services including technologies and accessories to ensure the smooth operation of the first batch of new energy buses of C Group.

Uruguay is dominated by low hills and undulating terrain. In order to adapt to local road conditions and ensure driving safety, HIGER buses are equipped with a chassis lifting function, a chassis armor system and a visual assistance system for drivers in the driver compartment. The buses have an endurance mileage of 250km in the fully charged state, which can properly meet the daily operational needs of the client.

Once put into operation, this batch of buses left a good impression on the passengers. For example, the drivers gave feedback that the biggest difference after conversion from a diesel-driven buses to a new energy bus is that the noise is gone and the working environment has been greatly improved. With a 360° image system, the driver can quickly and clearly obtain the surrounding conditions of the bus. Additionally, the electronic rear-view mirrors can also enable the drivers to get a better driving experience in an environment with 60% humidity. Local passengers said that the seat of HIGER's bus has moderate hardness, significantly improving the ride comfort. The in-vehicle USB charging ports make it convenient for passengers to recharge electronic devices such as mobile phones.

Having established presence in Uruguay in 2009, HIGER deeply tapped into the local market with its product strength, after-sales service and other advantages, bringing green, environmentally friendly, comfortable and convenient bus travel solutions to local residents. HIGER indeed deserved this first large order for pure electric buses. In 2024, the first year in the second golden decade of the Belt and Road Initiative, HIGER will seize this opportunity to let more countries feel the charm of China new energy buses and polish the business card for products "Made in China"!