Go-Ahead Singapore trialed Singapore’s first fully-electric bus, a BYD K9, to assess the suitability of e-buses for public transport, in a pilot which could see more of such green vehicles being used for mass transport. Initiated by the Land Transport Authority, the electric bus trial operated on 3 bus routes, 15, 17 and 119, from November 2016 to May 2017.
The e-bus trial was part of the EV test bed led by LTA and the Economic Development Board to trial fleet-based EV operations, a follow-up to the earlier phase which ended three years ago and involved individual corporate users. The LTA also added that the bus will operate trips on top of those scheduled, and hence will not cause an adverse impact on service levels.
Charging equipment and infrastructure were installed at Go-Ahead‘s depot in Loyang. to support operations of the e-bus. The K9 bus requires between 5 and 10 hours to be charged fully, allowing it to run for 250km, but its range could be lower due to the warm climate in Singapore, with additional battery power used up for cooling.
Registered as SG4001J with the chassis number LC06S24S7D0000004, the trial unit was earlier spotted parked in NTU for inspection in 2015. The bus was then shipped to Jakarta for a short period of time before returning to Singapore.
Timeline
- April-July 2015: Trial unit spotted in NTU for inspection
- 5 August 2016: Local news outlet The Straits Times reports that a BYD Electric Bus (link)
- 7 November 2016: Starts revenue service trials on Bus Service 17.
- 20 February 2017: Trial on Bus Service 119
- 24 April 2017: Trial on Bus Service 15
For technical specifications, check out the main BYD K9 here.
Go-Ahead Singapore, the successful tenderer of the Loyang Bus Package, started operations on 4 September 2016 and operates 24 bus services.
I hope LTA will consider purchase a small number of the Euro V Volvo B9L(260/310hp) single decker to Go Ahead and other new Operators as well.Can ask Wright to bodied the bus with better rear insulation for the exhaust also..Spare parts also share with B9TL,Less headache and Go Ahead Technicians will love it also.
The BYD usually follows behind a Mercedes-Benz Citaro O530.
LTA should change consider Japanese low floor single deck like the Hino Ribbon or Isuzu Erga..Or worst King Long low floor.
Really has the appearance of an SMRT bus, especially when SMRT has a presence at Loyang. In other words, this bus is cool.
After so many alterations i hope there will be a seperate unit of batteries for engine and light/AC..