UK: BYD strengthens electric bus unit with new facility

China’s BYD wants to further their growing electric bus business in Great Britain with a new purpose-developed bus workshop and office close to London Heathrow. They also hired new personell for sales and service.

The new BYD base is located in Iver, Buckinghamshire in close proximity to the M4 and M25 motorways and London Heathrow Airport. Moreover, it will connect to the new high speed train network Crossrail next year. Frank Thorpe, BYD UK Country Manager explains: “We have chosen a new location which is very convenient to our current customer base in London but yet is easily accessible to all parts of the UK.”

The BYD Electric Vehicle Centre covers an area of 1,300 sq metres so that it can accommodate a number of both double and single deck electric buses. BYD will provide electric bus maintenance and PDI capabilities and also keep a parts store.

The new office has become necessary for the growing team of BYD UK. They are tasked with supporting the increasing sales of pure electric buses in Great Britain. The latest recruit is Paul Savage who will manage the workshop. He joins BYD after a 28-year career in the British bus industry, much of it with Evobus UK.

BYD claims more than 200 electric buses have entered service or have been ordered by a number of London operators as well as in cities such as Nottingham and Liverpool.

According to our count, the most recent order came indeed from London, where TfL expect the delivery of 68 brand-new elecrtic double deckers that BYD builds together with ADL and Optare next summer (we reported).

BYD has also started to sell electric buses in the south of Europe with cities in both Portugal and Spain having placed orders.

Moreover, BYD has been granted the license to sell electric trucks in Canada just now.

bydeurope.com (UK centre), greencarcongress.com (Canada license)