GERMANY BYD’s full-size pure electric ebus has been tested in Bonn, Germany, by operator Stadtwerke Bonn (SWB).
The manufacturer says the trials, which ran in the former West German capital city throughout June, achieved positive results. The vehicle completed over 1,000 km while loaded with test weights to a simulated gross vehicle weight of 17,900kg, almost the maximum weight permitted.
The ebus ran with air conditioning running and lights on which is believed to provide an equivalent worst case battery load scenario to running the bus with heating on full power during wintry conditions.
SWB rated the results of its trials as positive and, at the press conference to mark the conclusion of the trial on June 28, SWB CEO Heinz Jurgen Reining said: “The test has encouraged us that we are on the right track towards electric mobility.”
The BYD ebus achieved a range of 200km with at least 20% of its battery charge remaining. This performance means that almost half of SWB’s routes could be switched to electric buses without the need for any mid-route recharging.
It is also claimed SWB drivers who tested the BYD ebus had a positive impression. Ride comfort was judged to be equivalent to a conventionally powered vehicle and external noise was thought to be very low.
The bus was charged at the Stadtwerke Bonn depot in Friesdorf.
Total charging time was five hours using a 400 volt three-phase supply and a charging current of 125 Amps.
