- BYD’s new electrical bus platform brings vital enhancements to the general public transport sector.
- The e-Bus Platform 3.0 boasts a 1,000-volt structure, a high-speed blowout stability system and a driving vary of as much as 454 miles.
- Cell-to-chassis LFP batteries are normal, and there’s an adaptive suspension system on supply.
China’s BYD simply upped the ante within the electrical bus recreation with its new e-Bus Platform 3.0, which brings numerous cool expertise from the passenger automobile sector.
On the battery facet of issues, the brand new platform integrates BYD’s Blade lithium iron phosphate (LFP) modules straight into the chassis utilizing the so-called cell-to-chassis expertise. This implies the ground of the bus may be decrease as a result of the pack doesn’t must be put in on high of the chassis rails.

Photograph by: BYD
The primary bus primarily based on this new platform, the C11, is out there in China with 5 capability choices, from 184 kilowatt-hours all the best way as much as 593 kilowatt-hours, leading to a CLTC-rated vary between 136 miles (220 kilometers) and 453 miles (730 kilometers).
The wide selection of battery choices can cater to native transit buses, in addition to regional transport companies. Going the additional mile can also be doable because of the spectacular 1,000-volt score of the high-voltage batteries, a primary within the bus sector, which might enable them to cost at ultra-fast speeds. That stated, BYD didn’t say how a lot time it might take to go from 10% to 80% on the biggest LFP pack supplied on the C11 mannequin.
An adaptive suspension system known as DiSus-A, borrowed from BYD’s passenger EVsmay be fitted to buses using on the brand new platform, and there’s additionally a high-speed tire blowout stability system that may react in milliseconds to maintain the bus on monitor throughout blowouts at speeds of as much as 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour), in line with the Chinese language maker.
What’s extra, if one thing dangerous had been to occur to the driving force, the passengers can activate a one-touch cease button on the dashboard to robotically cease the bus. The characteristic, known as Driver Incapacity Help System 2.0, is unique to this new platform and may safely deliver the bus to a halt with out driver enter, in line with BYD.
That’s numerous tech crammed right into a car that has historically been thought to be easy and bare-bones. And, extra importantly, it may make its approach to america. Whereas BYD is at present promoting exactly zero passenger EVs stateside, the Chinese language big has been constructing battery-powered buses and vans in California since 2013so it’s not far-fetched to assume that the flamboyant new suspension system and high-voltage battery setup would make their means into the transit bus that takes you to work each day.