Workers are seen at an electric bus factory of China's BYD in Lancaster, the United States, May 1, 2018. BYD, one of the largest electric bus manufacturers in the U.S., set up the Lancaster factory in May 2013, employing some 800 local people. (Xinhua/Li Ying)

SANTIAGO, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese-made electric buses cost less and help reduce gas emissions in Santiago, said Chile's Transportation Minister Gloria Hutt.

Since December last year, 203 electric buses have arrived in Santiago from China. They have travelled a total of 2.7 million km and have been given an average passenger rating of 6.3 out of 7, Hutt was quoted as saying by local daily El Mercurio on Monday.

Hutt highlighted that the buses' operational costs are 76 percent less than diesel buses.

A BYD electric bus arrives at the Kyoto Women's University in Kyoto, Japan, June 20, 2018. Japanese company Princess Line bought five electric buses from Chinese automaker BYD in 2015 and two more in 2017. The seven buses have now travelled some 370 thousand kilometers, cutting costs for their owner and reducing emissions for the city. (Xinhua/Ma Ping)

The Chilean government, she said, has bet on electric mobility to help the environment and reduce gas emissions by 35 percent by 2022, via replacing the current fleet with electrical buses.

Last year, the Chilean government announced the incorporation of 208 new electric buses made by China's new energy automaker BYD.

Each electric bus reduces CO2 emissions by 60 tons each year, Hutt said.

In all, 411 electric buses will be operating in Santiago, making it one of the leading cities operating this type of bus outside China.