Chinese automaker BYD Auto has been in the business of manufacturing electric buses for quite some years now. It began its business by manufacturing a forty feet long range people carrier in 2010 followed by supplying Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam with 35 vehicles in 2013. BYD Auto even revealed the largest battery electric vehicle in 2014. Last week, the firm took the veils off of K12A, another electric bus that has taken the title of world’s largest battery electric vehicle.
The K12A is 27 meters long, can carry up to 250 passengers, and is completely electric. The K12A was launched officially at BYD’s Shenzhen headquarters last Tuesday. The bi-articulated battery electric bus is the first of its kind to be equipped with distributed 4WD setup. This means that the K12A can switch between two-wheel-drive to four-wheel-drive depending upon its route.
The K12A by BYD Auto has been created for global Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) systems. It features proprietary batteries, electronic controls, and electric motors. It is capable of carrying about 250 persons and has a top speed of 70 km/h. It offers a range of about 300 km per charge – the equivalent of a typical bus’s daily operation. The bus also has DC and AC charging ports that can be ‘switched freely to meet customers’ every need.’
Stella Li from BYD Auto said, ‘The K12A will bring zero emissions to BRT systems, allowing passengers to enjoy quiet, pollution-free travel, while at the same time saving significant maintenance costs for the operator.’ Keeping in view the emissions and the harm that they are causing to the environment, such initiatives and innovations are more than welcome. We believe that it is important to switch to electric cars for the sake of our planet. What do you think about the K12A from BYD Auto? Do let us know!
