BYD has launched an electric coach, developed using its pure electric bus expertise, and currently under homologation testing prior to its introduction in Europe. Paris was chosen for a preview appearance thanks to a drive by the city's mayor to reduce pollution from such vehicles.
With a range of 200km (120 miles) under typical operating conditions and a recharge time of only 2.5 hours, the BYD coach could complete many coaching applications in and around cities – such as shuttle services, city sightseeing, hotel and airport feeder services.
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BYD's founder and chairman Wang Chuanfu said: "Just a few months ago my colleagues and I were here to participate in the COP21 UN climate change negotiations and we were impressed by the determination of the authorities not only in Paris but across France to do more to improve the quality of the air their citizens breathe. We heard an impassioned plea by the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, to assist in greening one of the world's most beautiful cities. Not only does she, as representative of the municipality, together with STIF, plan to ensure that all of the 4,500 city buses are zero or low emission by 2025 but they specifically referred to diesel-engined coaches as being a major source of pollution. This was a prophetic pronouncement – other cities have yet to target this particular class of vehicle, but of course they will in the future."
Isbrand Ho, managing director of BYD Europe, added: "We'll shortly be announcing our introduction plans for our coach in Europe, with France as our first market. Many of the technologies we have developed about our city bus range – also with experience of millions of kilometres of in service running – are applicable to this new model: the pure electric coach. We are confident we have a vehicle which exactly suits the city's needs."
Ho revealed details of a new BYD sales team in France joined by Bertrand Berger, who has extensive experience in the French bus and coach world.
