BYD K9RC

BYD K9RC
Manufacturer	BYD Auto Industry
Bodywork	Gemilang Coachworks
Years in operation	2022–2023
Operator	SBS Transit
Quantity	1 (demonstrator)
Technical Data
Length	12 metre
Motor	BYD electric motors
Battery	LiFePO4 (~355 kWh)
Accessibility	Low floor
Emission Standard	Electric (Zero tailpipe emissions)

The BYD K9RC is an electric, low-floor double-deck city bus manufactured by BYD in China. A single bus was delivered to Singapore as a demonstrator unit and bodied by Gemilang Coachworks, based in Malaysia.

The bus was first sighted in Singapore back in April 2021, featuring the Land Transport Authority (LTA)’s lush green livery and SG Bus Decals. It was eventually registered to SBS Transit on 27 May 2022 with the registration number SG4005Z.

The bus is built by Gemilang Coachworks on a BYD D9RC chassis (based on delivery documents), equipped with two wheelchair bays and other unique features for a pandemic era, most of which were replaced with conventional features prior to entering revenue service. It is the second electric double-deck bus model in Singapore after the Yutong E12DD.

The bus commenced revenue service on the morning of 4 July 2022, deployed on Bus Service 851. It was later redeployed on 27 February 2023 to Service 800. The bus was last spotted on revenue service in November 2023.

Trial Bus

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) procured 60 electric buses in 2018. With no new electric bus orders since, it is likely that the BYD Double-Deck Electric Bus is offered to the LTA as a trial, similar to that of the MAN Lion’s City SD (3 Door) in 2017, and the Mercedes-Benz Citaro hybrid in 2020.

Based on the VIN number (LC06S44P5J1000001), the chassis was built in 2018 by BYD in Shenzhen, China.

The bus’ traction batteries are located at the rear of the lower deck. Like the Yutong E12DD, the passenger compartment on the lower deck ends just above the rear axle.

More batteries are located within the underfloor next to the exit door, on both sides of the bus. This is similar to the BYD K9 (Gemilang) and results in the raised floor and narrow passenger aisle near the exit door.

Delivery documents on the bus initially referred to the bus as the BYD D9RC, which is likely the name of the chassis and not the actual bus. Similarly, the BYD C6 (Gemilang) buses were built on BYD D6R chassis, and BYD K9 (Gemilang) buses were delivered as BYD D9A chassis. The final model name was later confirmed to be the BYD K9RC.

The bus was assigned the registration plate SG4005Z and eventually registered to SBS Transit on 27 May 2022, continuing a trend of assigning trial buses with the SG400_ registration number. Another trial bus that arrived later was the CRRC TEG6125BEV03 bus (SG4006X), which entered service with Go-Ahead on 10 December 2021.

The made its revenue service debut on 4 July 2022, deployed on Bus Service 851 in the morning, where it made two round trips from Yishun to Bukit Merah and back. The operator logo was not stickered on the bus.

Interior

Lower Deck

The lower deck of the bus features 21 seats, 2 wheelchair bays and a licensed standing capacity for 51 passengers. The bus is fully low floor from the entrance to the rear, but the rearmost seats are accessed by two steps raised above the aisle.

The BYD K9RC offers five rows of lower deck seating behind the rear exit door, which is more than the three rows of seats featured on the Yutong E12DD.

Seats were supplied by Ster (Model: New City) in two-tone seat covers (turquoise and grey). Priority seats are indicated in orange with accompanying decals.

Wheelchair accessibility is offered via a manual ramp installed under the exit door. Two wheelchair bays are installed, both with foldable handlebars and a single foldable seat integrated into the wheelchair backrest.

Upper Deck

The upper deck seats 51 passengers in a conventional four-abreast layout. The reduced seating (compared to 55 for a regular double-deck bus) is in part due to the larger equipment cabinet located at the very rear of the upper deck.

Staircase

Driver’s Cab

Pandemic Public Transport Features

When first sighted in Singapore back in April 2021, the bus cabin was fitted with several features installed for public transport in a pandemic era. These include:

• Driver cabin protective shield
• Temperature detectors at the entrance doors
• Touchless bus stopping bell pushes
• Ventilation windows on lower and upper decks

However, as of end-October 2021, only the ventilation windows remain on the bus. Novelty items such as the entrance temperature detectors and driver cabin shield were removed prior to the bus’ entry into revenue service. Touchless bus stopping bell pushes were replaced with conventional ones.

Other BYD 3-axle double-deck buses

BYD has produced 3-axle double-deck buses since as early as 2012, when images of a gold-coloured, right-hand-drive BYD K10 were circulated on Chinese social media, strongly hinting at a potential trial with Kowloon Motor Bus of Hong Kong. The purported trial did not materialize.

In June 2020, the BYD B12D three-axle double-deck bus (full model name:  BYD6120BD1EV1, also badged as BYD K9S) was first mentioned in《道路机动车辆生产企业及产品公告》（第334批）, the 334th issue of a regular publication by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology listing new models of domestic road vehicles. A bus operator in Shenzhen took delivery of 10 units in October 2020, configured as sightseeing buses. Kowloon Motor Bus of Hong Kong also placed orders for 42 units in 2022.

BYD also offers the 45-foot (13.7-metre) BYD C10MS for the North American market, unveiled in January 2020 at the United Motorcoach Association’s annual expo in Nashville, Tennessee.

Gallery:

October 2021

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