The new London bus is Chinese!

BYD will be responsible for renewing the legendary Routemaster double-decker bus fleet in London.

The bus in contention, the BD11, was showcased at the London Bus Museum. This new double-decker bus is powered by an impressive in-house Blade battery technology of 530 kWh, providing it with a range of over 600 kilometers. This is more than sufficient for an urban tour, as London buses typically do not cover half that distance in a day, allowing for the possibility to venture outside the city. The battery is incorporated into the chassis, which helps reduce weight and makes more room for passengers.

Transport for London is reportedly about to place an order for 100 buses. According to the Sunday Times, the unit cost is £400,000, which is over £100,000 less than British competitors! While BYD emphasizes that 34% of the components used in the BD11 come from Europe, the buses will of course be produced in China, which partly explains this price difference. BYD previously partnered with British manufacturer Alexander Dennis, which celebrated the delivery of its 1500th bus in the UK last year. Due to irreconcilable strategic differences, the partnership was dissolved, with both partners launching independently.

The BD11 measures 10.9 meters in length with a wheelbase of 5.44 meters, a width of 2.55 meters, and the characteristic height of 4.3 meters typical of a double-decker structure. Depending on configurations, it can carry up to 90 passengers. It is powered by two wheel motors of 150 kW and has an incredible turning radius of only 8.0 meters, less than its total length. Charging can be done via a suspended pantograph of 500 kW or through standard charging ports. The pantograph can charge the bus from 0 to 100% in two hours.

While BYD appears to be confidently positioned to win the tender on paper, it would be very surprising if the more conservative politicians did not manage to throw a few spanners into the well-oiled Chinese machinery. This is known at BYD, which claims not to be opposed to supplying only part of the fleet… while proving the absolute superiority of the model over competitors?

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