In October 2025, a second example of the Zhongtong N12D electric double-deck bus was unveiled at the Busworld Europe 2025 trade show in Brussels.
This new unit featured several design improvements compared to the earlier Singapore prototype, while retaining several design elements specific to Singapore’s operational requirements. The refinements appear to indicate Zhongtong’s ongoing efforts to enhance its right-hand-drive, three-door, two-staircase offering.
The Zhongtong N12D model was first unveiled a year earlier, in October 2024, as an electric double-deck bus developed for the Singapore market. The prototype, featuring a three-door, two-staircase layout, was first exhibited at the SITCE 2024, and later offered to the Land Transport Authority (LTA) for revenue service trials, which began on 29 October 2025.
Externally, one notable change was the relocation of the charging port from the rear right side of the bus to the rear centre.
Design and Performance Improvements
The Busworld example features a battery capacity of 621.33 kWh, offering a claimed range of over 400 km per charge, supported by dual-gun DC fast charging.
While the earlier Singapore prototype was quoted to have a range of up to 600 km, neither the test cycle used to derive this range figure nor the bus’s actual battery capacity was provided by Zhongtong.
Despite the European market primarily being left-hand-drive (LHD), the Busworld exhibit was a right-hand-drive model.
Interior
The latest Zhongtong N12D retains the low-floor, three-door layout that supports rapid passenger boarding and alighting—crucial for urban routes with high passenger volumes.
However, the Busworld example featured a completely different seating configuration on the lower deck compared to the earlier version. The lower deck still features 13 passenger seats, but key differences include:
- Addition of 1 rear-facing seat on the front wheel arch
- Front / rear-facing seat pairs between the middle door and the rear door, replacing side-facing seats in the SITCE example
- Rear battery banks on the left side are positioned further rearward, eliminating the last row of rear-facing seats in the SITCE example
The new bus now features six pairs of seats on the lower deck between the middle and the rear doors — four facing forward, and two facing backwards.
Upper Deck
The layout on the upper deck is similar to the earlier unit, with 45 seats. Like the Singapore unit, the bus components take up a substantial amount of space at the rear.
In contrast, the BYD B12DS and CRRC eD12 electric 3-door-2-staircase buses feature 48 and 51 upper deck seats, respectively.
Staircase
The front and rear staircases designs appear similar, with 10 steps between the lower and upper deck.
Drivers cab
The Busworld example features a provision for a farebox, which is required for Singapore buses.
A camera mirror system is also featured. However, the vertical display screens are positioned where traditional mirrors would be located; Singapore buses instead cluster the vertical display screens directly in front of the driver.
LTA should go for 12.3 or 12.5m if 3 doors
Maybe 15m if 3 doors. longer better.