BYD vows commitment to green travel after London double-decker launch

SHENZHEN -- A senior executive with Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) giant BYD expressed the company's commitment to green and electric travel after the automaker unveiled an all-electric double-decker bus for London.

The entry of buses equipped with new blade batteries into the British market shows BYD's commitment to green and electric travel as well as to sustainable development, Shu Youxing, managing director of BYD Europe, told Xinhua on Friday.

Shu added that the launch also indicates BYD's willingness to deepen cooperation with its local partners in the UK. "It shows that BYD will continue to bring the latest products and leading technologies to British consumers."

BYD recently launched the iconic bus in London, named BD11, marking a step forward in the overseas expansion of BYD's commercial vehicles, according to a press release issued by the NEV and battery manufacturer.

"The BYD BD11 will play a pivotal role in contributing to the reduction of air pollution in London, and, soon after, the UK's wider carbon neutrality goals," said Frank Thorpe, managing director of BYD UK Commercial Vehicles.

With space to accommodate up to 90 passengers, the BD11 is equipped with BYD's latest-generation blade batteries with a market-leading capacity of up to 532 kWh.

BYD invented the blade battery in 2020. A new generation of lithium iron phosphate batteries, the blade battery improves battery safety and energy density through an optimal structure design.

The battery system integrated within the chassis helps reduce the overall weight of the bus, extend its driving range, and afford high levels of stability and maneuverability. Meanwhile, it supports dual-gun charging. The new BD11 fleet is expected to enter service in the second half of this year.

BYD entered the UK bus market in 2013. Today, a fleet of over 1,800 BYD electric buses ply UK streets, racking up mileage of over 127 million km, which is equivalent to a reduction of 137,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions, according to BYD.

In 2023, approximately 9.59 million NEVs were manufactured in China, and roughly over 12 percent were exported, a Ministry of Commerce official recently said.