BYD says it is introducing a new battery-electric Type D school bus. With length options of 35, 38 and 40 feet, BYD says its Type D battery-electric school bus is ideal for transporting students to classes, field trips, as well as athletic and band events. The Type D can seat up to 84 and can be equipped with an ADA liftgate. The bus has a range of up to 155 miles on a single charge.
BYD notes its smart technology creates a new environment where bi-directional charging can be the norm. School buses can be charged overnight when energy demand is low, and clean emission-free energy can be fed back into the classroom during school hours when the bus is parked keeping classrooms well-lit and students and teachers plugged in.
“We are raising the bar for design, innovation, range and quality, giving parents peace of mind knowing their children are benefitting from the safest school bus anywhere,” says Stella Li, president of BYD North America. “At the same time, our buses will give operators the performance and cost savings that will make migrating to zero-emission technology affordable and practical.”
BYD says it made safety the top priority in its school bus design, including such features as electronic stability control to aid handling, a collision-avoidance system, and a 360-degree monitoring system to detect pedestrians and cyclists when the bus is operating at slow speeds. BYD buses can be equipped with IMMI’S Safeguard 3-point lap-shoulder belts, integrated child seats and portable restraints.
“From the beginning, our team has always been focused on many key features,” says Samuel Kang, head of total technology solutions at BYD. “We believed the Type D electric bus needed to be appealing to kids while at the same time offer the utmost safety features and driver ergonomics, be equipped with a safe, high-performance battery, and have plenty of storage capacity for road trips. The BYD Type D school bus achieves all those goals.”
BYD’s battery-electric technology can cut fuel costs by as much as 60% compared to diesel vehicles. With fewer moving parts and less vibration, maintenance costs can be cut by as much as 60%, notes the company.