China Based Automobile Manufacturer Introduces World’s Longest Electric Bus to Date

Compared to the fuel that has powered our vehicles for the longest of time, electricity-powered vehicles are a novel innovation, which is why when we talk about electric vehicles, most electric cars or bikes come to mind. However, this notion seems to be fading quite a bit in recent years as more and more companies are introducing a variety of electric powered vehicles into the mainstream market.

A Chinese automaker has joined this race as well, BYD a company is previously known for its specialization in batteries recently announced that they have officially launched the world’s longest bi-articulated battery electric bus, K12A. According to their official announcement:

• The K12A bus is 88 feet long (27 meters)
• It has a passenger capacity of 250 people
• It has a max speed of 40 mph or 70 km/h
• In a single charge, it can do about186 miles or 300 km

While these features are certainly impressive in their own rights, they are not enough, as where this electric vehicle includes both DC and AC charging ports for the greater ease of the consumers, its bi-articulate design allows it to easily get around the corners, hence, making the ride and its deployment in the cities more comfortable. Moreover, its manufacturer has also added another essential feature to make it more adaptable to different terrains. According to BYD, their latest innovation, K12A comes with a distributed 4WD (four wheel drive) setup, which signifies that depending on the need of the road this electric bus can be switched between the four-wheel drive and the two-wheel drive, respectively.

In an official statement, Senior Vice President of BYD, Stella Li said, “Today, BYD once again uses its core technology, reliable products, and innovative solutions to solve the two great urban ills of congestion and pollution”. Meanwhile in another, “The K12A will bring zero emissions to BRT systems, allowing passengers to enjoy quiet, pollution-free travel, while at the same time saving significant maintenance costs for operators.”

This electric bus is primarily designed to be a part of the global Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system and it seems that K12A is going to installed in the capital city of Columbia (Bogota) firsthand, to become a part of the city’s Bus Rapid Transport System, TransMilenio.

It might be worth mentioning for our readers that the previous trophy for the longest electric vehicle was also held by the same electric automobile manufacturing company. In 2014, at American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Expo in Houston, Texas, BYD, after 2 years of development launched Lancaster eBus, greatly referred to as America’s first electric articulated bus. In comparison to their latest innovation, Lancaster eBus was 18.2 meters, it has the capacity to carry up to 120 passengers in one go, and it can cover over 170 miles (270+ km) per single electric charge.

That’s it from our side, drop your thoughts in the comments section below.