The first BYD e-buses in Deutsche Bahn’s fleet. A 5-units delivery in Ettlingen

BYD has delivered five of its first new generation 12-metre pure-electric eBuses to Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s largest Public Transport Operator. The operator has a framework agreement in place with BYD for the rollout of eBus orders in 2021 and beyond.

A 500 km road journey for BYD e-buses

The official handover to DB took place in Ettlingen, located in the district of Karlsruhe in Germany. This concluded a 500 km road journey for the BYD eBuses from Oosterhoud in the Netherlands to their Karlsruhe destination, stopping only for a short break in Bonn for the drivers to rest and top-up charging, BYD says.

This delivery further enhances DB’s evolving electric bus fleet which will operate on both urban and national routes.

Each of the five pure-electric buses is powered by BYD Iron-Phosphate Battery technology with increased energy density that now provides an even longer driving range for continuous hours of non-stop operation, as well as an extended battery life, BYD points out. And adds: «Under Standardised on Road Test (SORT) conditions, the new generation 422 KWh battery delivers an impressive driving range in excess of 400km on a single charge. The driving range capability has been further demonstrated by the recent 500 km journey from The Netherlands to Germany».

The latest generation 12-metre BYD eBus includes an all-new emissions-reducing CO2 air conditioning system.

The unique ‘6 in 1’ controller is also another important feature inherent to BYD eBuses. BYD claims it is the only electric bus manufacturer to develop a control system which integrates the battery, motor, motor controller and all the vehicle’s principle electronic components in one complete electric vehicle ecosystem.

The first BYD e-buses in Deutsche Bahn fleet

Michael Lechelt, Head of Operative Fleet Management, DB Regio Bus, speaking on behalf of Deutsche Bahn in Germany commented: “These are the first BYD vehicles in our fleet, and hopefully there will be more. Recently, we have seen an increase in demand from the PTAs for vehicles with alternative drive and especially for buses with electric drive. Therefore, we assume that we will see more vehicles in our fleet during the next weeks and months.

“The vehicles have an impressive long range. Even with extreme temperatures during the winter and fully loaded, the vehicles will manage their routes. Drivers who have tested the buses have been very satisfied with regards to the riding experience, driving dynamics and driving characteristics.”

BYD Europe Managing Director, Isbrand Ho, says: “We are proud to be a partner of electric buses to DB and despite the pandemic, we have once again delivered on time. This is yet another example of how public transport operators throughout Europe are making the transition to electric mobility solutions from BYD.”