Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has introduced a fleet of 35 pure electric BYD ‘ebuses’ that are being used airside to transport passengers between aircraft and terminals.
The BYD ebuses are thought to be the first full size pure electric buses to provide transportation at a major airport and are also the first in Europe to feature only two battery packs. The reduced number of battery packs means more space for passengers and reduced overall weight, resulting in more efficient operation.
Trials of the ebus have also taken place in 47 major European cities and have demonstrated that pure electric buses are fully viable, can usually perform a full day’s duties on a single charge and deliver a reduced total cost of ownership compared to diesel-fuelled buses.
“BYD is proud to be able to offer Schiphol a carbon-free solution for its airside passenger handling, something that is a major contributor to the airport’s aim of being a world leader in green transportation,” said Isbrand Ho, managing director, BYD Europe.
“The ability of airports to go green is really all about reducing emissions on the ground and there is tremendous potential for us to assist in the process. When you consider that just one airline is likely to operate thousands of pieces of equipment with a diesel engine at each major airport you can see the scale of the opportunity.”