The vehicles are being run under the ‘BIOTAXIS Project’, intended to show the benefits of EVs.

Bogota announced its plans for the city to support and promote electric vehicle take-up in its “Decree 677 of 2011”.

‘The import duty of hybrid bus, truck and CNG vehicles will be reduced down to 5% from 15%, while the import duty of pure electric bus, truck, taxi and private cars will be entirely eliminated,’ explained the Minister of the Department of the Environment and Sustainability.

‘It’s anticipated that 2,250 pure electric vehicles will benefit from this act in just three years.’

According to a report from the World Bank in 2012, the economic loss caused by air pollution in Colombia is 570 million Colombian pesos (€22,230) every year, and pollution from dirty petroleum transportation may have played a role in as many as 5,000 deaths in the country.

Dr Adriana Soto Carreño, Deputy Minister of the Department of the Environment and Sustainability, commented: ‘We hope other cities would also introduce pure electric and hybrid electric vehicles into public transportation, to reduce particulate matter and pollution and improve public health.’