BYD unveils world's first pure electric coach
BYD has officially unveiled the world's first long range, 100% pure electric coach at last week’s 2015 United Motor Coach Association Expo in New Orleans, USA. This first electric coach, code-named the BYD C9, is a two-axle, 12m (40ft) coach with a seating capacity of 47 people which has a range at motorway speeds of over 300km (190 miles).
"The transportation industry is still just warming up to the idea of pure electric transit buses," said BYD Motors Inc’s Coach & Bus Vice President of Sales, Macy Neshati. "It was exciting to walk around last year's APTA Expo in Houston and see so many reputable names displaying an electric bus. However, I don't think anybody thought they would see a viable electric coach solution for a few more years."
Pictured Above: The BYD C9 unveiled at the 2015 United Motor Coach Association Expo
The BYD C9 is the first of three 100% electric coaches the company will launch globally this year. The other two, a 13.7m (45ft) three-axle coach code-named the C10 and a 7m (23ft) coach with executive and transport configurations named the C6 will be arriving by the end of 2015 and BYD is already starting taking orders for all three of the coaches in North America.
"Last year, BYD pulled away from the competition in the transit space when we launched a range pure electric single deck buses, including an 18m (60ft) articulated bus. This year the launch of the three coaches puts BYD on a level with no other bus or coach OEM. Not many people know this about BYD but we are a multibillion-dollar company employing nearly 190,000 people worldwide. There simply has never been a bus manufacturer in the United States with this sort of engineering or manufacturing power, that's why I tell every customer I meet with they should go BYD, it's the safe choice!" said Neshati.
A spokesman for BYD Europe said that there are no immediate plans to introduce the electric coach range in Europe.
ENDS
About BYD
BYD Company Ltd. is one of China’s largest companies to have successfully expanded globally. Specializing in battery technologies, their green mission to “solve the whole problem” has made them industry pioneers and leaders in several High-tech sectors including High-efficiency Automobiles, Electrified Public Transportation, Environmentally-Friendly Energy Storage, Affordable Solar Power and Information Technology and Original Design Manufacturing (ODM) services.
As the world’s largest manufacturer of rechargeable batteries, their mission to create safer and more environmentally friendly battery technologies has lead to the development of the BYD Iron Phosphate (or "Fe") Battery. This fire-safe, completely recyclable and incredibly long-cycle technology has become the core of their clean energy platform that has expanded into automobiles, buses, trucks, utility vehicles and energy storage facilities. BYD and all of their shareholders, including the great American Investor Warren Buffett, see these environmentally and economically forward products as the way of the future.
BYD has made a strong entrance to the North, Central and South American markets with their battery electric buses, and lineup of automobiles. Their mission lies not just in sales growth, but also in sociological integration and local job creation as they have poured incredible investments into developing offices, dealerships and manufacturing facilities in the local communities they now call home, truly a first for Chinese companies. For more information, please visit www.byd.com or www.facebook.com/bydcompany .
For more media information about BYD please contact:
Automotive PR:
Martin Hayes (London) +44 (0)20 7952 1070 mhayes@automotivepr.com
BYD Europe:
Vareseweg 53-59, 3047 AT, Rotterdam
Penny Peng: +31 –102070888 penny.peng@byd.com
