BYD Coach and Bus has announced two new partnerships that will see 29 American-made BYD K7 electric buses deployed across the California Coast.
The University of California, San Francisco, has purchased 15 of the 30-foot buses and Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District is rolling out 14 of the same model. The delivery of these new buses reflects BYD’s continued dominance of North American battery-electric bus manufacturing.
“Across North America, we continue to see growth in battery-electric bus adoption as more operators are realizing that they can reduce maintenance costs, improve rider comfort and reduce their environmental footprint simultaneously,” stated Macy Neshati, BYD senior vice president.
With a range of more than 140 miles and a capacity of up to 42 passengers, depending on configuration, the K7 can serve as the workhorse of the low-floor shuttle fleet for diverse agencies. The K7 buses cost approximately $1.00 less per mile to operate than the typical diesel-powered bus. The new buses produce zero emissions and make oil changes a thing of the past.
The proprietary BYD Iron Phosphate battery is nontoxic, 100 percent recyclable, fire-safe and incredibly long-cycled.
“BYD continues to lead the way in the research, development, manufacture and delivery of battery-electric buses in North America and around the world. We are grateful for the continuing confidence that the market places in us. Together we are changing the face of public transit,” concluded Macy.
To date, 13 of the 15 buses have been delivered to University of California at San Francisco. Santa Barbara has received 11 of the 14 buses for their system. The remaining buses are currently in production. ABOUT BYD The Official Sponsor of Mother Nature, BYD is the world’s largest manufacturer of electric vehicles. Specializing in battery technologies, BYD’s mission is to solve our global energy challenge of reducing dependence on fossil fuels for transportation and power production. BYD is the overwhelming global leader in battery-electric buses with nearly 40,000 buses in service in communities in North America, South America, Asia and Europe. BYD is also an industry leader in several other high-tech sectors, including high-efficiency automobiles, medium- and heavy-duty trucks, electric forklifts, energy storage and solar power generation.
