BYD’s new electric double-decker bus aims to transform London’s travel

Electric vehicle maker BYD has revealed a double-decker bus for London, called the BD11.

Measuring 10.9 metres long and with enough space to accommodate up to 90 passengers, the BD11 uses a lithium-ion blade battery which means that it’s free from cobalt and other metals such as nickel and magnates.

The battery pack is incorporated into the chassis structure to reduce the overall weight by 10 per cent while a huge 532kWh battery should mean it’s got more than enough charge for a day’s driving.

It can be charged at a maximum rate of 500kW through pantograph charging – which is a method for charging buses in depots and stations with chargers mounted on masts or gantries.

The BD11 is driven by two electric motors which combined produce 402bhp and 600Nm of torque, while there is a six-in-one controller that simplifies the vehicle’s electronics to improve its reliability. They control the steering control unit, air compressor controller, DC-DC converter and power distributor.

Frank Thorpe, managing director, BYD UK Commercial Vehicles said: “Introducing our all-new fully electric BYD BD11 Double Deck bus to the UK marks an important moment for BYD in the country and in the very important public transport for safe and reliable electric mobility, providing operators with modern eco-friendly eBus options that meet their specifications, thus providing more people the choice to use clean, non-polluting bus services in the future.”

The BYD BD11 will be going into service firstly in London, however, it has not been confirmed when that might be, with further announcements to be made beforehand.