BYD Electric Buses For Mexico City Bus Rapid Transit
We’ve been celebrating BYD recently for becoming the #1 top BEV seller globally — in the 4th quarter of 2023. It also sells the most plugin vehicles by far — 3 million in 2023. But in these cases, we’re just talking about passenger electric cars and SUVs. Long before BYD was seen as a great electric car producer, it was producing good heavy-duty electric vehicles. Now that there’s so much focus on its electric car success, its heavy-duty EV leadership is often forgotten. Not today.
BYD has been selling electric buses around the world for years, and it just delivered another big order in Mexico. The Mexico City Metrobús, a bus rapid transit system that is approaching 20 years old (having been started in 2005), took delivery of 20 electric BYD buses. In total, the collab involves 55 BYD electric buses. That’s the largest fleet order in Mexico.
These buses can each transport up to 130 people (though, I have to imagine that 100 or fewer would be much more comfortable), and they are 15 meters long. They come with a rated driving range of 200 km (125 miles) thanks to their 300 kWh battery packs. Those giant batteries, by the way, can be charged up in just 3 hours.
For those who love to see the numbers, BYD provides more details: “The buses will be put into operation on Mexico City’s Line 4, helping the city realize a green transportation transition. Mexico City Line 4 is 35 kilometers long, with 40 stations, and will meet the daily commuting needs of about 120,000 passengers every day. The 55 BYD electric buses in operation will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 5,845 tons per year compared to traditional fuel vehicles, contributing to the improvement of air quality in Mexico City.”
“Zero-emission, sustainable solutions for transportation operations are essential,” Rosario Castro Escorcia, General Director of the Mexico City Metrobús, noted. “Since 2018, we have been working on transportation technology reforms, and this partnership with BYD is an important expression of the transition to electrification of Mexico’s public transportation system.”
All images courtesy of BYD
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