Skip to main content

China’s BYD wins European electric bus orders for Netherlands city

An island which is home to the Netherlands’ first National Park is about to launch Europe’s cleanest bus fleet. The city of Schiermonnikoog in the province of Friesland, Netherlands is nestled on this 16 km long island and is virtually car-free. While home to about 1000 residents, over 350,000 people visit the island every year and will now ride in six new, long-range, all-electric BYD buses set to launch on Schiermonnikoog early next year. In a European legal tender and open bid supported by four major bus
June 7, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
RSSAn island which is home to the Netherlands’ first National Park is about to launch Europe’s cleanest bus fleet. The city of Schiermonnikoog in the province of Friesland, Netherlands is nestled on this 16 km long island and is virtually car-free. While home to about 1000 residents, over 350,000 people visit the island every year and will now ride in six new, long-range, all-electric 5445 BYD buses set to launch on Schiermonnikoog early next year. In a European legal tender and open bid supported by four major bus manufacturers, BYD scored the highest in meeting programme goals and won not only an order for the six electric buses, but also a 15-year maintenance contract.

The BYD buses are comparable to the buses now servicing Schiermonnikoog in terms of size – they are 12 metres long (40 feet) and can accommodate 60-70 passengers. However, they can be charged at night and with a range of over 250-300 Km per charge they can provide service all day without needing another charge.

Related Content

  • April 3, 2013
    California to get electric bus assembly plant
    Chinese electric vehicle (EV) producer BYD is to build an assembly plan in Lancaster, about seventy miles north of Los Angeles, to make electric buses for US and Latin American public transportation markets. The facility will be one of only a few making electric buses in the US, where most buses use diesel fuel or compressed natural gas. Michael Austin, vice president of BYD America, said Lancaster's aggressive embrace of solar energy programs was a factor in deciding to build the plant there. "They've been
  • May 23, 2013
    Uruguay launches first ''zero emissions'' electric buses
    Uruguay transit companies BUQUEBUS and CTS Auto have partnered with Chinese vehicle manufacturer, BYD to provide the first twelve metre rapid transit bus powered only by electricity in Uruguay and the region. The BYD electric bus integrates several technologies including two in-wheel electric motors capable of a cruising speed over 88 km/h and what it said to be the first of its kind, an environmentally-friendly iron-phosphate battery. This drive system provides a range of over 250 km (155 miles) – nearly t
  • August 29, 2012
    Modernising India's bus travel
    Award-winning ITS initiatives are promising modernisation of bus travel as a key part of development plans for cities of the Indian state of Karnataka. The Indian state of Karnataka is poised to launch the next stage of a major rollout of ITS technology on its bus network following the August 2012 go-live of an award-winning passenger information system. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), which is owned by the state government
  • October 16, 2014
    Europe-wide demonstration of electric buses begins in Barcelona
    A major step towards greener urban public transport was made this week with the launch of the first ZeEUS (Zero Emission Urban Bus System) demonstration in Barcelona. The flagship project is the first of its kind to test 12 metre-plus electric buses in real operation. Barcelona is the first demonstration site of the UITP-coordinated ZeEUS project, with core demonstrations in seven other European cities to follow: London and Glasgow; Stockholm; Münster and Bonn, Plzen and Cagliari. In total, 35 plug-in hy