Category: BYD

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London’s Iconic Double-Decker Buses to go Electric

One of the world's most recognized transportation systems, TFL (Transportation for London), known for their iconic red, double-decker buses, has contracted for the manufacture of a brand new, battery electric replacement. The company selected to build the next generation London Bus double-deckers is global electric vehicle leader, BYD Company Ltd.

The announcement took place at this week's C40: Clean Bus Summit held at London City Hall. Breaking the news was the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.

"Many believed that a pure electric double-decker bus would not be possible due to the size of the battery packs required to power it," said Mayor Johnson. "However by working with BYD and utilizing the latest cutting edge technology London has been able to secure another world first. The new electric double-decker trial will see the zero emission double-decker buses manufactured by BYD enter service on Route 16 from October."

Also addressing the Clean Bus Summit was BYD's Managing Director of European Operations, Isbrand Ho.

"We are delighted to be chosen by London as its partner for the world debut of our new pure electric double-decker. As the Mayor has said, this is genuinely world beating new technology," said Ho. "Since BYD is by far the world's largest maker of zero emission pure electric buses and as such is keen to promote their take up and use as quickly as possible we are also pleased to have today supported the Declaration and pledged BYD to helping promote zero – not just ultra low – emission vehicles on the streets of the world's major cities."

BYD's Battery Electric bus employs many advanced technologies developed in-house by a staff of more than 15,000 R&D engineers including the BYD Iron-Phosphate Battery which boasts the only 12-year-battery warranty in the industry. Combined with BYD's proprietary hub motors and regenerative braking system, the BYD battery electric bus offers the lowest life cycle cost of ownership.

The BYD electric bus delivers a host of operational and environmental benefits for public transit riders, bus operators and residents of the community – it is very quiet and ensures a comfortable ride without vibrations, jerks or the noise associated with the conventional buses and combustion engines. The bus can also drive for more than 155 miles even in heavy city traffic on a single charge. As of April 1st, 2015, BYD bus fleets have completed greater than 50 million miles "in revenue service" and have been evaluated by more than 150 cities in 36 countries around the world. To date, BYD has built over 5,000 electric buses globally, making it by far the most popular electric transit vehicle on the planet.

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500 hp BYD Tang Plug-In Hybrid SUV now Available for Pre-orders

BYD Company Ltd. has officially announced their much anticipated Dual Mode Electric SUV, the Tang, will become available for pre-order on January 21, 2015 for the anticipated price of 300,000 RMB (before EV incentives) - USD$48,360. The announcement took place at BYD’s Annual International Auto Innovator Conference in Shenzhen. Demand for the BYD Tang is said to be incredibly high after BYD saw record EV sales in 2014 with the BYD Qin now topping the World’s Best Selling EV charts (presently in 5th place in PHEV sales). The BYD Tang is expected to quickly surpass the BYD Qin’s monthly sales figures as China has waited a long time for a PHEV Sport Utility Vehicle.

The BYD Tang, announced at Auto China 2014 (the Beijing Auto Show), is BYD Auto’s second generation DM 2.0 PHEV vehicle, and first of the much touted BYD 5-4-2 platform models:

  • 5: standing for 0-100km/ h (0-60 mph) in less than 5 seconds
  • 4: standing for 4-wheel drive
  • 2: standing for less than 2 liters average consumed over 100 km (best-in-class fuel economy nearly equal to 147 mpg)

    Similar to the BYD Qin, Tang gets its name from the Tang Dynasty, and is known throughout the world as the most prosperous of all the great Chinese Dynasties. Also announced during the innovator’s conference were two more Sport Utility offerings from BYD that will become available for order later in 2015:

    The “BYD Song”, a mid-size SUV along with the “BYD Yuan”, a compact SUV will both cater to China’s insatiable demand for Sport Utility Vehicles, and when powered by BYD’s industry leading 5-4-2 platform are set to redefine limitations of current PHEVs and SUVs alike.

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    2016 BYD e6 to get 82 kWh battery and 400 km Range

    The 2016 BYD e6 will have 400 km (250 miles) range thanks to an increase in battery capacity to 82 kWh, according to a document from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

    Compared with the current model, the 2016 e6 will be 40 kg heavier from 2380 kg to 2420 kg with range increased by 100 km from 300 km to 400 km.

    The 82 kWh battery pack, up from 60 kWh in the current model, is 100kg heavier (700 kg) with a claimed cell energy density of approx 150 Wh per kilogram.

    The e6 was originally launched five years ago in May 2010. The first batch of 60 e6s were delivered to a taxi company in Shenzhen. Deliveries to individual buyers started in 2011 with annual sales of 1,544 in 2013 and 3,560 in 2014.

    The 2016 e6 will be launched in late 2015. Prices will remain unchanged between 300,000 Yuan and 370,000 Yuan before rebates.

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    BYD to build battery Gigafactory to rival Tesla

    Chinese automaker BYD Co Ltd, backed by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc, aims to triple its production of batteries as it takes on Tesla Motors in the race to supply electric vehicles and boost energy storage.

    Shenzhen-based BYD plans to add 6 gigawatt hours of global production for batteries in each of the next three years, and hopes to keep adding at that pace afterwards if demand is solid, Matthew Jurjevich, a spokesman for the company, said on Friday.

    That means BYD could ramp up from 10 GWh capacity at the end of this year to about 34 GWh of batteries by the beginning of 2020. This would put it about even with Tesla's planned $5 billion Nevada gigafactory.

    Each of the planned Gigafactory is said to output more lithium-ion batteries than the entire world’s capacity today. When fully operational in 2020, these two plants alone will triple global li-ion battery production capacity, and that's not accounting for the largest electric vehicle battery supplier today, LG Chem, who broke ground on their own Chinese gigafactory in late 2014.

    The companies are fast emerging as two of the key players in the nascent electricity storage sector. Storage technology is considered critical to integrating large amounts of renewable energy because it can absorb excess power from wind farms or solar panels and keep that for use when conditions don't allow for power generation.

    "We have demonstrated that BYD is capable of adding 6 GWh every year with strong market demand," Jurjevich, who works for BYD's U.S. unit, said in an interview.

    The sector has attracted Tesla, BYD and a range of startups as well as stalwart battery manufacturers and is expected to grow to $1.5 billion by 2019 from $128 million in 2014 in the United States alone, according to GTM Research.

    BYD, which declined to provide investment budgets, ended last year with 4 GWh of capacity and will be at 10 GWh later this year. The U.S. energy storage market is expected to triple this year to 220 MW, according to GTM.

    Most of BYD's production is in China, but the company is opening a major new factory in Brazil this year that will contribute meaningfully to output next year, Jurjevich said.

    BYD, which started out making mobile phone batteries, will also scale up manufacturing in the United States as demand for its batteries increases, he added.

    According to data published last year by Lux Research, BYD is the sixth-biggest manufacturer of batteries for hybrid and plug-in vehicles. Panasonic Corporation, which makes cells and batteries for Tesla, is the biggest.

    Tesla, founded by entrepreneur Elon Musk, has said it will launch its own production of battery cells in Nevada in 2016 and reach 35 GWh of capacity by 2020. Tesla does not currently produce battery cells, according to a company spokeswoman.

    BYD opened two manufacturing plants in Southern California in 2013 to produce both electric buses for public transportation and batteries.

    The company shocked many in 2003 when it launched its automotive business and has since become one of China's most successful automakers. Outside of China, however, it has focused on selling buses rather than cars.

    BYD plans to deploy 70 megawatt hours of projects in that market in the United States this year, and has another 130 MWh of projects in its U.S. pipeline.

    It has already deployed 40 MWh of projects in North America with customers including Chevron Corp and Duke Energy Corp.

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    Uber in deal with China’s BYD to test electric cars

    Uber Inc said on Friday it struck a deal with Chinese automaker BYD Co Ltd to test a fleet of electric cars for its drivers.

    The test program, which kicked off a few weeks ago in Chicago and could eventually expand to other cities, is the Silicon Valley startup's first attempt to focus on an electric vehicle, said Uber spokeswoman Lauren Altmin."We've seen interest in the program already from current and potential Chicago partners (drivers)," Altmin said.

    Uber, which allows users to summon rides on their smartphones, originally started with a luxury town-car service but in many cities has added UberX, a low frills service with nonprofessional drivers using personal cars. The BYD offering is aimed at those drivers.

    The electric car is part of Uber's program to help drivers buy or lease new or used cars. The BYD e6 vehicles are available through Green Wheels USA, a Chicago car dealership that focuses on electric and hybrid cars and also builds EV charging stations.

    About 25 BYD vehicles are currently being used by Uber drivers in Chicago, and the hope is to bring that number to a couple of hundred by the end of the year, according to Doug Snower, Green Wheels' president.

    Uber began talking to BYD and Green Wheels late last year, Altmin said.

    For BYD the deal with Uber could be a step toward the long-held goal of selling its cars to U.S. consumers. The company, whose name stands for "build your dream", is a major automaker in China, but its e6 vehicle has thus far only been used in pilot programs in the United States.

    Nissan Motor Co Ltd and Tesla Motors Inc are better known in the United States for their electric cars, the Leaf and the Model S. Uber would not comment on why it had picked a company with a relatively unknown brand.

    The e6 is larger than many other electric cars, however, and is being used in London by chauffer service Thriev.

    BYD gained Warren Buffett's backing in 2009 and announced plans to sell its e6 electric car in the United States the following year. Since then, BYD's U.S. business has focused mainly on electric buses for public transportation.

    BYD publicized the program on its Facebook page but declined to comment on the deal with Uber.

    The Facebook post, which has a picture of the vehicle, says the e6 has a 186 mile range on a single charge. It also says financing is available from BYD-approved lenders.

    Green Wheels is offering several options to drivers interested in the e6. The most popular program, Snower said, allows an Uber driver to pay $200 a week to use an e6 for his or her driving shift. The vehicle is then returned to a Green Wheels lot, where it is charged until it is used again.

    Drivers can also enter into a more traditional lease or a lease-to-own program, Snower said.

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    Sydney International Airport Tests the World’s Longest Range Electric Bus

    Carbridge Pty Ltd, an Australian airport ground transportation provider, has begun a six-month Electric Bus pilot program at Sydney International Airport. The bus selected for the pilot was made by BYD Company Ltd, which has been recognized over the past few months for its industry leading operational range. The bus will be used as an airport passenger shuttle.

    At a launch ceremony held at Sydney International Airport, BYD Asia Pacific General Manager Liu Xueliang said, “Compared with fossil-fueled buses, BYD’s pure electric bus has zero emissions, doesn’t make noise and ensures a comfortable ride without disturbances associated with conventional buses of combustion engines. These characteristics will provide a great experience for visitors to the Airport.” Sydney Airport plans to electrify their entire bus fleet in the coming years.

    BYD’s Battery Electric bus employs many advanced technologies developed in-house by a staff of more than 15,000 R&D engineers, such as the advanced environmentally friendly, BYD Iron-Phosphate battery, in-wheel hub motors and regenerative braking system. The break-through Iron-Phosphate battery is fire-safe and non-toxic: there are no caustic materials contained in the battery, no toxic electrolytes or heavy metals and can be completely recycled.

    The BYD electric bus delivers a host of operational and environmental benefits for public transport riders, operators and people in the community — it is very quiet and ensures a comfortable ride without vibrations, jerks or noise associated with the conventional buses and combustion engines. The bus can also drive for more than 250 km (155 miles) even in heavy city traffic on a single charge. The bus has completed more than 20 million kilometers of “in revenue service” and has been evaluated in many major cities all over the world.

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    Daimler-BYD Unveil All-Electric DENZA with 300 km range

    BYD Daimler New Technology Co., Ltd. (BDNT) officially unveiled its DENZA all-electric vehicle at Auto China 2014, in Beijing. The world premiere of the serial production model is the culmination of cooperative efforts at the 50:50 R&D technology joint venture established by Daimler and BYD back in 2010 – the first Sino-German joint venture dedicated to an all-electric vehicle in China. Combining Daimler’s renowned tradition and engineering expertise as a worldwide leader in safety technology and quality excellence with BYD’s leading battery technology, DENZA is styled as an honest and modern urban vehicle concept that fits both private and fleet customers.

    “Daimler is constantly moving forward with emission-free mobility; and with our DENZA we are also on the right track in China, which is destined to become the world’s most important market for electric vehicles“, said Hubertus Troska, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG with responsibility for China, and Chairman and CEO of Daimler Greater China. “With DENZA we deliver the safest, most reliable, and most convenient electric vehicle to our Chinese customers – designed, engineered, and produced in China, for China, once again proving our full commitment to the country.”

    DENZA has been designed around its lithium iron phosphate battery which is framed by a lightweight aluminium case with extrusion profiles. Designed to absorb large amounts of energy, it is located at the safest place in the car - underneath the body. The layout also ensures that all powertrain components are separated from the passenger compartment. Additionally, DENZA’s intelligent Power Flow Management System constantly monitors the energy flow between the battery and powertrain to guarantee that, in the event of an accident, the battery is disconnected automatically and, if needed, quickly discharges to levels below critical values.

    As a forerunner in electric vehicle safety, BDNT worked closely with China’s official safety certification body, CATARTC, to jointly develop an electric vehicle safety standard for China. By also considering real life accident data, DENZA has gone even further than these legal requirements to ensure that its customers enjoy the highest level of safety.

    “DENZA is the first complete vehicle that Daimler has developed together with BYD outside of Germany and it is undoubtedly one key pillar of Daimler’s electric vehicle strategy in China“, noted Prof. Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Research and Development. “No compromises have been made to design and develop, in China, an all-electric car that raises the bar in its segment. We assure our Chinese customers the highest standards of safety, paired with maximum convenience, outstanding reliability and unique driving fun as part of a superior overall concept.”

    The DENZA has been put through 18 months of intensive testing that saw various cars drive over 1.2 million kilometres across all of China under extreme and various weather and road conditions – be it hot, cold, dusty or icy. This testing program, which looked at overall quality and endurance, was complemented by additional component testing and crash test programs. In total, BDNT crashed more than 20 cars, including high-speed, low-speed and rollover-scenarios. DENZA also became the first electric vehicle to be tested according to C-NCAP consumer ratings at C-NCAP facilities, obtaining the highest possible rating of 5 stars.

    It goes without saying that the quality of the production is secured at a modern, independent production line in Shenzhen, following Daimler’s proven production philosophy and quality control methods.

    With a driving range of up to 300 kilometres, the DENZA offers the ease and convenience of emission free mobility for day-to-day use – in urban areas, and beyond. Charging the battery is highly flexible, as it can be done at any household power outlet, public charging facilities or special wall boxes. The latter of which can be installed at homes or in offices at the request of DENZA customers, guaranteeing fast charging, ranging from seven hours to less than an hour. With the DENZA app, available for both Android and iOS phones, wall box customers can even remotely check on their charging status and vehicle location using their smartphones and, if needed, get connected right away to a dealership or customer service centre.

    DENZA clearly aims to change mobility, but not the mobility behaviours of its customers. That is why, thanks to its luxury class level wheelbase, it can comfortably accommodate up to 5 passengers, with ample legroom and an inviting 460 litre trunk volume. The roominess of the interior is complemented by a clean, functional design and high craftsmanship.

    DENZA’s package is convincing, and so is its heart, the electric powertrain and battery technology. The vehicle is powered by an 86 kW (peak) all-electric engine that provides a maximum speed of up to 150 km/h and impressive peak torque, at 290 Nm. Together with its big 47.5 kWh battery capacity, and a convenient suspension, customers can rest assured that they can enjoy both maximum driving fun and comfort with a range of up to 300 km. In light of the fact that the average daily driving distance in China is 50 to 80 kilometres a day, the typical customer will only have to recharge DENZA twice a week. This bi-weekly pit stop will be met with joy as driving 100 km with a DENZA cost less than 20 RMB (2,35 EUR). All this classifies the DENZA as the perfect vehicle for day-to-day use – in urban areas, and beyond.

    Wang Chuanfu, Chairman of BYD Company Limited, stated: “With our DENZA, I see my vision come true as we make big steps towards sustainable development in and for China. Backed by a supportive government and the win-win alliance between BYD and Daimler, and its Chinese heart, DENZA offers a convincing package to our Chinese customers, pointing the way and contributing strongly to the development of the electric vehicle market in China.”

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    BYD ebus achieves 325km on one single charge in Denmark

    What could be a distance record unmatched by any pure electric bus has been recorded with minimum fanfare by a BYD ebus on trial with Copenhagen Denmark bus operator City-Trafik.

    The 12 metre BYD ebus completed its normal service on Route 12 a week ago, a total distance of 110km (or 68.4 miles) carrying an average of 40 passengers. Then the bus set off along the Ballerup highway – a standard motorway – and further covered a distance of 215km (or 133.6 miles) ending the day with 8% of battery charge remaining, clocking up a total of 325km (202 miles) on a single charge.

    This result exceeds the previous best performance of a BYD ebus during the company's Europe-wide trial programmes. Last year an ebus achieved 310 km using only 69% of total charge between the Polish cities of Warsaw and Krackow.

    A second trial of an ebus in Copenhagen with the city's other operator Arriva produced a no less impressive result. The bus completed an arduous full day of city operation – 150km (or 93 miles) from 06:00 to 16:50, operating fully loaded and with the electric heating system in constant use. The bus was then taken on a 90km (or 56 miles) motorway run and again ended up with a 8% charge remaining, covering a total distance of 240 km (149miles) on a single charge.

    The two ebuses have been in service in Copenhagen since the beginning of January, in the hands of Movia's two service providers City-Trafik and Arriva. The bus, specially equipped to handle the rigors of the Scandinavian winter, has performed well. Operating costs have been low – electricity in Denmark costs 2DKK (€0.27) per kWh at normal prices. This compares with diesel at 9.79DKK (€1.3) per litre.

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    City of Dalian Places Order for 1,200 BYD Electric Buses

    1200 zero-emission, electric buses made by BYD Company Ltd will soon hit the streets of China’s “Bright Northern Pearl”, Dalian.

    Dalian’s municipal government has signed a cooperative agreement with global electric vehicle and battery leader, BYD. The agreement stipulates the purchase of 600 BYD electric buses in 2014 and another 600 in 2015, totaling 1200 units.

    BYD took the opportunity at the signing event to announce the opening of a new electric bus manufacturing facility in the Dalian Huayuankou Economic Zone to service the growing needs of northern China. The agreement also mentions a conversion initiative of more than 50% of new purchased taxis in Dalian to new energy vehicles in support of the “new energy vehicles promotion and local environment improvement” initiative.

    At the event with Liaoning Province Governor Zhenggao Chen, BYD Founder and CEO Chuanfu Wang introduced company milestones, R&D capabilities and products including the electric bus and fully electric e6 SUV being used worldwide in fleet applications. He also took the chance to talk about BYD’s latest consumer offering – the break-through, plug-in-hybrid, Qin.

    Chairman Wang highlighted operational statistics of the BYD electric fleets now totaling over 175 million Km traveled (~111 million miles in revenue service) and operating in many cities including recent projects in London, England and New York City. A key message from the BYD Chairman was that this technology is not just environmentally friendly, but very efficient and profitable for the operators as witnessed in the Shenzhen fleets.

    Zhenggao Chen, Governor of Liaoning province, expressed his view that BYD is a pioneer in the aspect of new energy vehicles, and is confident BYD will seize the opportunity to develop and keep mastering the core technologies for new energy vehicles to keep winning the war combating poor air quality.

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    ABB to supply fast chargers for Daimler/BYD’s DENZA EV

    ABB has announced it will enter into a partnership with Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Co to supply direct-current fast chargers over the next six years.

    The announcement said the agreement will result in the world's largest fast-charging network for electric vehicles.

    According to the two companies, the wall-mounted chargers will have a number of innovations designed for user convenience and safety including a mobile app that allows cloud-based remote monitoring and control of charging sessions.

    First deliveries are expected by the middle of the year. The chargers will be sold through BYD-Daimler's Denza dealerships along with the vehicle.

    The first Denza dealership will open in Beijing and more dealerships will be built up simultaneously in Shanghai and Shenzhen.

    Established in 2010 between BYD Co, a leader in China's electric vehicle industry, and German automotive icon Daimler AG, BYD-Daimler was the first joint venture in China specializing in developing and producing new-energy vehicles.

    The joint venture's Denza brand launched last year will have its world premiere at Beijing auto show in April. It is slated to go on sale later this year, according to an earlier announcement.

    Ulrich Spiesshofer, CEO of ABB Group, said at a news conference in Stockholm that he is confident about the deal with BYD-Daimler.

    "We are honored to be a partner in this venture with BYD-Daimler to move urban transportation forward in a more sustainable way. By combining car and fast charger sales, Denza is taking a bold step to address a key obstacle for potential electric car buyers," said Spiesshofer.

    "ABB's electric vehicle charging solutions have been expanding rapidly worldwide as the underlying technology combines our key strengths in power electronics, software, service and power distribution."

    The fully electric Denza is designed for journeys of more than 250 km and will be among the first long-range electric vehicles on the Chinese market.

    Market research shows that consumers value long drive ranges but at the same time expect short charging times.

    Denza will offer its customers the convenience of charging their cars in a short time at home, at the workplace or at compatible public places, according to BYD-Daimler.

    "The Denza represents a significant step in sustainable transportation for the Chinese automotive market. It was vital that we have the right partner to support this innovative concept," said Arno Roehringer, COO of BYD-Daimler.

    "ABB is the ideal technology partner for us as they have proven themselves with electric vehicle chargers in China as well as globally and - equally important - the service to install it," he added.

    The Chinese government adopted a GBT standard for direct-current fast charging to encourage technical innovation and stimulate market acceptance of electric vehicles.

    Analysts said that urban charging infrastructure is key to widespread acceptance of electric vehicles by consumers.

    The GBT standard will give Chinese consumers the option of charging their vehicles at home or in public, with DC fast charging expected to be rolled out in the near future.

    Experts say China's electric vehicle market could quickly gain momentum due to technology, market innovations, the GBT national fast-charging standard and favorable incentives.

    ABB has worked on pilot projects with local automakers and utilities in China since 2010. In 2013 it began to build up a local electric vehicle organization to support growth including R&D, manufacturing, logistics and services.