Brazil: In late March, two five-car driverless trains entered service on the first section of Line 17 in São Paulo. The 6.7 km route is temporarily providing limited services with headways of 7 to 14 minutes. Full commercial operation is scheduled to commence by the third quarter of 2026.
Designed for a maximum speed of 80 km/h, each train with open inter-car gangways can accommodate 616 passengers, with 114 of them seated. The rolling stock is powered by third rail at 750 V DC and additionally fitted with traction batteries with a range of 8 km to keep trains running in case of electricity outages. The solution utilises the CBTC signalling system to ensure the highest grade of automation, GoA4.
BYD monorail trains in São Paulo. Source: Metrô de São Paulo
The Chinese producer BYD was awarded a BRL 1.1 bln ($221.2 mln) contract for the delivery of 14 five-car trains, signalling systems and platform doors in 2020. Up to date, the customer has received 11 units. The remaining trains are expected for delivery by the middle of this year. According to the manufacturer, this is the first time when its monorail technology SkyRail is deployed overseas.
At first, the line was due to open in time for the FIFA World Cup hosted by Brazil in 2014. However, the project faced repeated delays related to changes of suppliers, legal disputes and the Covid-19 pandemic. The local media reports that the project investment has reached a total of BRL 5.9 bln ($1.1 bln), in comparison with an initial estimate of around BRL 2 bln ($402 mln).
