Goldstone-BYD unveils 200km range electric feeder bus in India

On the occasion of the World Environment Day on June 5, Chinese EV manufacturer, BYD Auto, which operates in India through its local JV partner, Goldstone Infratech, unveiled the Goldstone-BYD ‘eBuzz K6’ electric feeder bus in the national capital.

The 18-seater bus which measures 7-metre in length was unveiled to the public by Anant G Geete, union minister for heavy industries and public enterprises. The fully air-conditioned bus comes built on a monocoque chassis and features air suspension all around, as well as air disc brakes, which together ensure good passenger comfort and optimum braking performance.

Powered by Li-ion phosphate batteries, the eBuzz K6 offers a range of up to 200km on a single charge and boasts a maximum charging time of 4 hours through 3-phase AC charging. While the electric motors on-board develop 180KW (241bhp) of power and 1,500Nm of peak torque, the battery pack offers chemical and thermal stability, alongside providing protection from short-circuit, over-temperature and lightening. The feeder bus also conforms to AIS 052 standards.

The company’s electric buses are being manufactured in India by Goldstone Infratech in a strategic tie-up with BYD Auto, and the first five of these eBuzz K6 buses shall be exported to Nepal before being introduced in India and later, will be exported to other neighboring countries as well. The eBuzz K6 will serve ‘Lumbini Tourism’ lines in Nepal.

According to Naga Satyam, executive director, Goldstone Infratech, “Goldstone-BYD has been spearheading the electric vehicle adoption in the country. Our focus has not only been to ‘Make in India’ but also ‘Made for India’ to meet the requirements of our diversity in the landscapes and terrains of the country. We have covered significant ground in meeting the requirements of several states in the country and being the supplier of choice for Mumbai, Himachal Pradesh, Bangalore, Hyderabad, amongst other states. Our proven ability to build customized, robust, yet sophisticated electric buses with utmost passenger comfort will enable us to meet the requirements of markets abroad too.

Zhang Jie, executive director, BYD India, added to the remarks and said, “We are greatly encouraged by the quality of electric buses that are being manufactured in India by Goldstone and these manufacturing facilities in India will be used for export to SAARC Countries. The export of eBuzz K6 to Nepal is a step in that direction. We are committed to making vehicles that are not only environment friendly but also help in greatly reducing the carbon footprint”

While the company is targeting STUs for business in India, it is also looking to engage with private bus operators.  Goldstone-BYD has already supplied 25 electric buses to Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) in September and 6 electric buses to BEST in Mumbai in November 2017. Next on the cards are Bangalore, Delhi, Chandigarh, Goa, Rajkot and Hyderabad, where it has successfully completed the trials of its longer 12-metre K9 series buses. The company has also bagged the tender to supply a total of 290 electric buses in 3 cities – Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore – which is a significant one, considering e-mobility is only in its nascent stages in the present day.