Kansas City International Airport and electric bus manufacturer BYD have announced delivery of the airport’s four battery-electric coach buses. According to the partners, the 30-foot buses will serve as parking lot shuttles, bringing passengers to the airport terminals.
The Kansas City, Mo., council approved the bus order in November 2016, and BYD customized the zero-emission buses for the airport to include luggage racks for passenger use.
“The Kansas City Aviation Department has long been at the forefront in implementing the latest in environmentally friendly programs and vehicles,” says Kansas City Director of Aviation Pat Klein. “In 1997, we deployed a fleet of the first compressed natural gas mass transit vehicles in regular use in Kansas City. We are one-upping that milestone by purchasing these electric buses to further lessen fleet emissions.”
“BYD is proud to work with Kansas City International Airport to provide these four buses with zero tailpipe emissions, giving airport passengers a cleaner and healthier ride,” says BYD Heavy Industries Senior Vice President Macy Neshati. “Kansas City International Airport will enjoy cost savings by operating the BYD battery-electric buses because they reduce fuel and maintenance costs by tens of thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the bus.”
BYD built the airport’s four new buses at its Coach and Bus manufacturing facility in Lancaster, Calif., which the company recently expanded.
Photo courtesy of Kansas City International Airport’s Twitter account
