Tashkent orders 2,000 electric buses from BYD

The Chinese manufacturer has received a major order from Uzbekistan and is to deliver 2,000 examples of its K9UD electric bus in the coming years. The first 200 electric buses are to roll onto the roads as early as next year.

BYD has announced a major electric bus order from Tashkent. The capital of Uzbekistan has placed an order for 2,000 units of the battery-electric BYD K9UD bus model. The first batch of 200 units is to be delivered in 2024. The parties do not disclose the amount of the investment.

The twelve-metre-long electric bus offers space for up to 90 passengers. It is around 2.55 metres wide and just over three metres high, making it a practical size for city bus transport, BYD said. The K9UD is equipped with a 422-kWh battery and achieves ranges of up to 450 kilometres. The vehicle can be charged via CCS or Pantografen. It is not known which of the two options will be used in Uzbekistan.

“We are excited to bring BYD zero-emission electric buses to Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan,” said Chunlong Tian, General Manager of BYD’s Commercial Vehicle Operation Division. “We are working with the Tashkent government to put safe, reliable, convenient and clean public transport on the road while introducing BYD’s advanced products and technologies to the Uzbek public.”

The Mayor of Tashkent, Shavkat Umurzakov, stated: “This purchase agreement for pure electric buses with BYD is in line with Uzbekistan’s green mobility transition strategy. I believe it will contribute to improving the quality of life of citizens through the electrification of transportation.”

BYD is also planning to build a factory for electric and hybrid cars in Uzbekistan. It is still unclear when production will start in Uzbekistan’s Jizzax province. But BYD has already announced that it will initially produce 50,000 cars a year there. Subsequently, annual production is to be increased six-fold to 300,000 cars.

bydeurope.com, bydeurope.com (models)