BYD enters German market. The first electric bus delivery in North Rhine-Westphalia

BYD has handed over its first electric buses in Germany. The landmark moment was celebrated a few days ago when the operators BOGESTRA (Bochum-Gelsenkirchener Straßenbahnen) and HCR (Straßenbahn Herne-Castrop-Rauxel) have taken delivery of the first vehicle in a joint fleet order for 22 eBuses from the Chinese producer (which has recently delivered 10 e-buses in Hungary).

BYD e-buses in Germany, starting from Bochum

The new pure-electric, emissions-free 12-metre BYD eBus fleet will go into service in the Germany state of North Rhine-Westphalia, on route 380 in Gelsenkirchen and route 354 in Bochum. By the way, in Bochum there is also a batch of Ebusco vehicles in operation.

BYD’s 12-metre single-deck eBus delivers a total carrying capacity of 80 passengers and boasts a single charge range of over 200km according to the manufacturer. The 22 vehicles will be operating in the densely populated area of Gelsenkirchen, Bochum and Herne.

Gelsenkirchen’s mayor, Frank Baranowski, does the math: “With these efforts to keep the air clean, BOGESTRA will then operate around ten percent of its bus fleet purely electrically, making it number one in the Ruhr area. And that is an important contribution to our climate protection activities in the city.”

BYD enters the German market

Echoing these points, with regards to this first delivery of BYD e-buses in Germany, Bochum’s mayor, Thomas Eiskirch, added: “Being able to drive from Weitmar to Riemke in the near future without emissions and with low noise is an important step towards greater climate protection on the ground. It shows that BOGESTRA is keeping its promises and I am pleased that more eBuses will be used soon.”

BOGESTRA board member Jörg Filter confirms: “BOGESTRA is an important player in the area of sustainability. We take responsibility for the environment and climate protection very seriously and we are making an important contribution to the quality of life in Bochum and Gelsenkirchen.”

Patrick Oosterveld, Bus Deputy Sales Director at BYD Europe, said, “We are delighted to be entering the German market. 22 vehicles is a major acquisition for BOGESTRA and HCR, and it shows a significant commitment to BYD. We are very pleased too, to have returned this commitment by meeting the planned delivery schedule, even despite restrictions following the coronavirus outbreak. BYD continues to develop advanced technologies to produce a safe, reliable and emissions-free transport solution for Local Authorities and Public Transport Operators,” he said, “and to help create a more sustainable future for everyone.”