Hong Kong expands electric bus fleet
Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB), the largest bus operator in Hong Kong, has put 16 BYD electric buses into service and has also ordered 52 electric-double-decker buses from both BYD and ADL for delivery next year.
The 16 BYD electric buses that have now entered service are single-deck solo buses. According to KMB, it had previously completed the testing and approval procedures for the vehicles. The vehicles are to be successively deployed on busy corridors, including Line 6.
KMB already had BYD electric solo buses in operation. The public transport operator has praised the improvements in the new model: it is four per cent lighter, has a 16 per cent increased passenger capacity (81 passengers) and the charging process is a full two hours faster.
KMB has also purchased 52 electric double-deckers from both BYD and ADL. The buses from Alexander Dennis Ltd (ADL) will be 10 Enviro EV500. This is the first time the UK company has delivered to the Asia-Pacific region, independently of Build Your Dreams (BYD) with whom the British company also often collaborates. This time the two companies are each fulfilling separate contracts. The 10 double decker buses from ADL were announced in March this year
The double-deckers from BYD will use the company’s Blade battery and have solar panels on the roof. The range is said to be up to 300 kilometres, and each bus will be able to transport up to 120 passengers.
The new buses on order will bring the total number of electric buses used by KMB to 82 in 2023. After that, the number is expected to increase rapidly: By 2025, KMB wants to procure another 500 electric buses.
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