With more than 250 in passenger carrying service, the BYD ebus is surely the best proven full size pure electric bus in the world, delivering a typical range of 250km in normal urban driving conditions. It is fully homologated for European markets and has been extensively reconfigure to suit local market requirements.
BYD’s decision to exhibit the ebus at UITP in Geneva underlines the seriousness of the Chinese company’s intention to play a major role in the future of emission free international bus operation. With bus making plants in operation in China and planned for California and Bulgaria, together with the creation of a strong sales and market support team in Europe, BYD is increasingly well positioned to offer its buses to fleet operators globally.
In Europe, where the first fleet of BYD ebuses was delivered only a few weeks ago, the company has undertaken trials in many major cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Budapest and Salzburg with more to come. The positive experience gained from these trials is expected to lead to pilot fleet orders in several countries. In the Chinese city of Shenzhen alone, a fleet of 200 BYD ebuses has accumulated mileage of more than 15 million kilometers (or 9.3 million miles).
BYD is one of the fastest growing automotive companies in China and has 180,000 employees worldwide. In 2009 fabled international investor Warren Buffett acquired a 10% stake in the company, which has over 15,000 engineers devoted to developing new battery technology and automotive products.
“The BYD ebus represents a practical, proven solution for bus operators seeking an emission free vehicle for intensive urban operation. It can be fully justified from both an environmental and an operating cost perspective”, says Isbrand Ho, Managing Director of BYD Europe BV. “It represents an integral part BYD’s ‘Green City Solution’ along with our pioneering zero emission taxi/private hire vehicle, the e6, which we also launching. These vehicles can play a vital role in reducing emissions in the most congested environments”.
