Global electric vehicle giant BYD is making its debut appearance this year at the IAA in Hanover. Star of its stand (No C41 in Hall 11) is a world premiere, the BYD pure electric sightseeing coach. The coach is displayed alongside a 12m ebus, BYD’s standard electric bus model now in service in London and Schiphol, the two largest fleets of full size electric buses in Europe.
BYD’s seriousness about the European market is beyond question. As the world’s largest producer of full size pure electric buses, more than 10,000 have been produced, BYD now has:
- Dedicated sales and aftersales teams based at its European HQ in Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Full parts stocks, also located in the NL
- A new London office and a much strengthened UK team
- A successfully developing sales team in France
- Plans for a new bus assembly facility in Europe
- Plans for other assembly facilities in Europe
- A mould-breaking partnership with Alexander Dennis, Europe’s fastest growing bus maker
- Live tenders for the supply of electric buses in a variety of European countries
- A fast developing product introduction plan which spans further ebuses and ecoaches, urban distribution vehicles and other commercial vehicles with the prospect of passenger cars on the horizon
Speaking at IAA Mr. Isbrand Ho, Managing Director of BYD Europe, said: “We are fully structured to supply European operators with outstanding and proven electric buses and, now, coaches and the aftersales support they require. Our vehicles deliver outstanding reliability, range and of course we are the only company where the battery technology comes first; all of our competitors have to source theirs from third parties”.
“BYD can be described as one of the largest companies you’ve never heard of but that will soon change. With 200,000 employees worldwide including 16,000 R&D engineers, a 2015 turnover of over €11 billion, Warren Buffett as a major shareholder, we have a unique position in the global auto industry. We are the only company which is offering electric vehicles which has advanced battery technology as its core competence” Mr. Ho added.
“But we will soon be on the radar screens of all those in Europe concerned about improving air quality. Not only with our fast developing bus and coach range, but thanks to our taxis (now being trialed by Uber in London as well as in service in Brussels and Barcelona), our plans to enter the light commercial vehicle and then heavier truck markets and, slightly further way, our intention to bring to Europe our well respected and successful range of hybrid and electric cars”.
“In fact, two years from now at our second IAA appearance I expect us to be present with buses, coaches and commercial vehicles” Mr. Ho concluded.
BYD’s world leading electric coach
IAA 2016 sees the first appearance at a major international exhibition of BYD’s all new pure electric sightseeing coach, a world first.
The coach can carry up to 51 seated passengers and their luggage (4 cu metres of space). It has a typical range of between 140 and 200 km in typical city conditions. This range is based on actual operating experience in China. Charging can be completed in just 3 hours with AC charging 40kWx2.
Following a preview of the coach in Paris in March, two operators (B.E. Green and Nedroma) who serve the Paris sightseeing market have ordered a total of 15 vehicles which are due for delivery later this year. The authorities in the French capital have announced their intention to ban diesel coaches from central areas and other European cities are expected to follow their lead.
BYD 12m ebus – proven worldwide
With more than 10,000 now produced, the BYD 12m ebus is without doubt one of the most successful full size electric bus in the world. It builds on BYD’s world leading Iron-Phosphate battery technology which is safe, reliable, long lasting and capable of delivering outstanding range. The longest running buses with this technology have now accumulated as much as 195 million km in passenger carrying service, saving over 200,000 tonnes of carbon in the process.
The BYD stand features a heavily enhanced and Europeanised version of its 12m full size single deck bus. Much improved battery technology means that only two battery packs are necessary, allowing increased passenger space in a typical European layout, improved driver visibility and reduced weight.
The 12m ebus on show is similar in specification to the fleet of 35 ebuses which BYD has supplied to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, the first in the world to go pure electric for its airside passenger transportation. The 12m BYD ebus is the first in a full range of BYD pure electric buses for the European market which support BYD’s ‘green city’ vision of offering electric solutions in each passenger carrying category.
