13 pure electric BYD Midibuses for Italy – second order for new model

Four city operators in the Piedmont Region of Italy have placed orders for a total of 13 BYD pure electric Midibuses, a new model which BYD only unveiled at the Busworld Show in October.

GTT, the Turin operator is ordering eight Midibuses (which will join its fleet of 20 12m BYD ebuses), AMAG in Alessandria is taking two as is BUSCOMPANY, the operator in nearby Saluzzo and CHIESA in Carmagnola is ordering one.

All the Midibuses for these Italian operators share a standard specification. The key features are:

• 2 doors

• Low entry steps

• 8.75m overall length

• Two battery packs delivering total power of 174 kWh

• An in-service range of 150-200km (to UITP Sort 1 conditions)

• Total passenger capacity – 58

The buses, which will be built in BYD’s plants in China, are expected to be delivered in the second half of 2018.

“These orders are doubly significant for BYD: they further under line our growing position in the important Italian bus market where we are making progress in the face of strong competition and they also represent a vote of confidence in our latest model, the Midibus”, said Isbrand Ho, Managing Director, BYD Europe.

“In fact, in this month alone we are able to announce orders for our largest ever vehicles – two 18m articulated ebuses – from our most northerly customer, Nobina in Norway, as well as these 13 vehicles – our smallest model – for our most southerly mainland European customers in Piedmont”.

He added: “Whether its maximum capacity in a cold climate or manoeuvrable ebuses capable of servicing confined streets in historic southern cities, BYD has the right product!”, Mr Ho added.