Descarbonização do transporte público urbano: Avaliação integrada de tecnologias de ônibus zero emissão para planejamento e políticas públicas

Resumo (EN)

Decarbonizing urban public transport is essential for building healthier, more efficient,and more sustainable cities. In Brazil, where buses remain the main mode of collectivetransport and depend predominantly on diesel, the transition to zero-emission echnologies represents an opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and strengthen mobility policies. This dissertation provides an integratedassessment of the technical, operational, economic, and environmental feasibility of the main zero- emission bus technologies—battery electric buses (BEB), fuel cell electric buses (FCEB), and trolleybuses—identifying their complementarities, limitations,and potential applications in São Paulo. The results are presented across five studies that deepen the understanding of the state of the art, comparative technologicalperformance, real operating conditions, and systemic requirements for fleetelectrification. The first study conducts a bibliometric analysis; the second applies a multicriteria model (AHP) to compare electric and diesel buses; the third evaluates thereplacement of diesel buses with electric buses in the Expresso Tiradentes corridor; the fourth examines the performance and relevance of São Paulo’s trolleybus system; and the fifth integrates the evidence by comparing costs, infrastructure requirements,energy efficiency, and operational suitability of zero-emission technologies. The findingsindicate that the technologies are complementary: BEBs offer operational flexibility; FCEBs provide extended range; and trolleybuses demonstrate high reliability and efficiency in structured corridors. The integrated analysis shows that decarbonizing public transport depends not only on vehicle characteristics but also on factors suchas charging infrastructure, energy availability, governance, and financing models. This thesis contributes by providing a multidimensional and comparative evaluation of zero-emission bus technologies in the Brazilian context, offering evidence to support sustainable urban mobility planning, energy transition policies, and decision-making regarding fleet electrification.