Barbados charges ahead of the West with new electric buses

Barbados now has the largest fleet of electric buses in the Western Hemisphere, following the official handover of 30 additional vehicles from China on Friday.

The donation, formalised during a ceremony at the Barbados Port Authority, brings the national fleet to 89 electric buses—part of the government’s drive to modernise public transport and reduce tdependence on fossil fuels.

Minister of Transport and Works Santia Bradshaw revealed that the new buses are expected to enter service by May 1 and will be supported by 30 electric chargers, also provided by China.

“This not only accelerates our clean energy transition but also creates opportunities for improving the delivery of enhanced public transportation services to the people of Barbados,” Bradshaw said. “With this addition, Barbados now stands as the largest provider of electric public buses in the Western Hemisphere.”

The handover marks the third batch of electric buses delivered to Barbados with China’s support.
Commercial Counselor of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, Liang Jie described the event as a symbol of deepening bilateral ties.

“Today marks another landmark achievement in the partnership between China and Barbados,” he said.

“I’m confident that this new fleet of electric buses would make meaningful contributions to Barbados.”

The initiative supports Barbados’ 2030 target of 100 per cent renewable energy and follows the rollout of a wider electric mobility programme, backed by the Green Climate Fund.

The Ministry previously shared that the transition is expected to cut fuel costs for the public service vehicle sector by half, from $20 million to $10 million annually.

Officials have also confirmed that work is underway to expand charging infrastructure and maintenance capacity to accommodate the growing fleet.