Four pure electric BYD buses for Beauvais assembled locally by BYD France

BYD France is pleased to announce the delivery of two BYD pure electric buses which will complement two existing BYD vehicles already on the road for two years in the Beauvais area. All the 12-metre BYD eBuses were assembled by BYD France at its production site in Beauvais.

With a more modern design (roof cover) and additional equipment (USB sockets, folding seats, etc.), the BYD eBuses will be operated by Transdev Beauvaisis Mobilités on the Corolis local network. The latest eBuses are due to go on the road in the coming weeks.

Despite the recent restrictions imposed by COVID-19, BYD France was able to deliver the vehicles on schedule.

The two vehicles were officially handed over today to the Beauvaisis public authority during an event organised at the BYD France production site, in the presence of Mr Jacques Doridam, Vice-President of the Beauvaisis Conurbation Community in charge of mobility and public transport, Mr Frédéric Colomb, Director of Transdev Beauvaisis Mobilités (Corolis network), Mr Gilles Bacquet, Production Director, Mr Julien Bahri, International Key Account Manager, BYD France, as well as some of the BYD France teams present on site.

Mr Doridam said: "When the assembly plant was set up in Beauvais-Allonne, our Urban Community, already a pioneer in environmentally friendly motorisation, naturally became interested in BYD's electrical technology. To see it in operation on an urban network, we went to Sweden to visit the Eskiltsuna network in Sweden, which has around twenty BYD buses. Having seen their performance and high reliability, and after having been able to verify this by testing a vehicle on our own lines on a daily basis over several weeks, we decided to purchase the first two buses assembled on our territory. The great satisfaction of the operator, drivers and users led us to continue our acquisitions. Our project is to eventually have at least half of our current fleet of around thirty vehicles made up of BYD France buses.”

Mr Bacquet added: "We are very proud to continue to supply the Beauvais area where our French production site is located. This partnership with local players enables us to be as close as possible to our customers' requirements and thus optimise our products for the French market. Today we have the widest range of 100% electric vehicles on the European market, with the urban part of the midibus 8.7m in reduced gauge (where three vehicles run in the Dunkirk Urban Community), the midibus 10.8m in conventional gauge, a standard 12m (as here in Beauvais and in Orléans), an articulated 18m (in operation in Orléans).”

Globally, BYD's electric vehicles have spread to more than 300 cities in over 50 countries and regions; the company has delivered more than 60,000 pure electric buses and coaches. More than 1,400 BYD electric buses are in service or on order in Europe, with locations in more than 20 European countries and over 100 cities.

Official handing over the keys of the two BYD 12m eBus in front of the BYD France production site in Beauvais. From left to right : Mr Bahri, International Key Account Manager, BYD France, Mr Bacquet, Production Manager, BYD France, Mrs Dorval, Driver, Transdev Beauvaisis Mobilités (Corolis network), Mr Doridam, Vice-President of the Beauvaisis Urban Community in charge of mobility and public transport, Mr Colomb, Director of Transdev Beauvaisis Mobilités, Mr Arab, Driver, Transdev Beauvaisis Mobilités.

The two BYD 12-metre eBus for Beauvais, in front of the BYD France production site. Photo credit : JF Bouché / Ville de Beauvais