HONG KONG
Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) has taken delivery of its first 12-metre electric double-decker, marking a new milestone in its journey to zero emissions. KMB’s new BYD B12D electric double-decker is equipped with BYD’s latest lithium iron phosphate ‘Blade Battery’ technology, which the maker says is more stable than traditional battery technology in power supply and is more conducive to heat dissipation, which further improves safety. Thanks to the ‘slender, blade-like’ shape of the batteries BYD says the volume of the stacked batteries is greatly reduced allowing the layout of the electric double-decker to be similar to those of existing buses.
The B12D electric double-decker uses hub motors, which reduces intrusion into the lower saloon, and has a passenger capacity of 115, which KMB says will make it the electric double-decker with the highest passenger capacity in Hong Kong. With the dual-plug DC fast charging, BYD says the bus can be fully charged in about three hours, and claims a range of up to 300 kilometres, enough for a whole day’s use. The bus is also equipped with a water cooling system and battery management system to control the battery temperature and monitor its condition, helping to extend the battery’s life and improve performance.
Painted in ‘electric green,’ KMB says the new bus demonstrates its commitment to evolving to a new green transportation era. It is also fitted with free 5G WiFi, seatbelts on each seat, and safety features such as the GreenRoad driver monitoring system. The KMB engineering team will conduct a series of tests on the bus before it is placed into service.
