The municipality of Messina, one of the main cities of Sicily, has placed an order for 13 BYD midibuses.
A contract was signed in the presence of the Mayor of Messina, Cateno De Luca, between the General Secretary, Antonio Le Donne, and Managing Director at BYD Europe, Isbrand Ho.
The purchase is made possible through funding from the National Operational Programme called NOP Metropolitan Cities 2014-2020, which focuses on the renewal and technological upgrade of the local public transport in 14 Italian metropolitan cities.
The ebuses, purchased by the municipality, will be assigned on loan to Messina public transport operator, ATM.
The tender won by BYD is the first for new generation electric buses in southern Italy.
Earlier this year Turin also placed an order for 13 midibuses.
They are soon to be delivered to the northern city.
Isbrand Ho, Managing Director at BYD Europe, said: “We are very pleased with this midibus order in Italy.
“Not only is this, the shortest bus in our product range, popular here, but only a week ago we announced a new order from Padua, in northern Italy, for six of our 12m ebuses.
“This in addition to the buses we already have running in Turin, Milan and Novara.
“We are delighted that the city of Messina believes in our green technology.”
