SPTrans, the public transportation operator in Sao Paulo, Brazil, will be deploying a pair of battery-electric transit buses from BYD Co. Ltd. during the first quarter of 2014.
The agency recently completed a pilot program with the BYD bus, which showed that the vehicle was effective on more than 80% of its routes. The bus is designed to charge overnight during off-peak hours, offering an average driving range of about 155 miles per charge.
‘Our tests were designed to demonstrate the performance of the e-bus running on the streets of Sao Paulo, such as its braking performance and so on,’ explains Joao Carlos Fagundes, manager of SPTrans' engineering division. ‘The electric bus was filled with a weight equivalent to a full load of passengers and run on bus lanes and other designed lines.’
The two BYD buses will be integrated into regular revenue service. Overall, SPTrans operates one of the world's largest bus fleets – some 16,000 vehicles.
