Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The first four electric buses from Chinese manufacturer BYD are now operational in Antwerp, marking a significant step toward greener urban transport solutions.
Last year, De Lijn placed an order for 92 from BYD since they were the most affordable.
“The other buses will be delivered in the coming weeks and distributed across Flanders”,
Says Frederik Wittock of De Lijn.
The Flemish Transport Company placed an order for 92 electric buses from BYD Europe in January 2024. De Lijn is ordering big e-buses from a Chinese manufacturer for the first time. After a public tender, the Chinese manufacturer BYD emerged as the top pick.
“It is a first for Antwerp, because that is where our first 4 e-buses from the company BYD are driving around,”
Says Wittock.
In Antwerp, Belgium, the four buses will travel on the usual bus routes. Thirty more vehicles will thereafter arrive at the Mortsel depot.
“We will distribute the rest of the 92 buses to other depots such as Bruges, Hasselt and Winterslag.”
De Lijn claims that the new buses have all the luxury that drivers and passengers might want.
“They are brand new and sustainable buses with no CO2 emissions,”
Says Wittock.
“For example, these silent and vibration-free buses are also equipped with USB charging points, an electric ramp for less mobile passengers and up-to-date trip information on extra-wide screens,”
Adds De Lijn’s director general Ann Schoubs.
The drivers are likewise better off with the new buses.
“Our drivers get a better driving position with more comfortable seats and also more modern safety equipment,”
Says Wittock.
De Lijn’s decision to place the first order for electric buses from Chinese automaker BYD was met with a great deal of criticism last year. For instance, BYD buses in the Netherlands have already been known to have a number of serious flaws. Among other things, bus drivers complained about seats that were not in the proper positions and steering that did not work well.
“We did not make this decision hastily, but studied it thoroughly,”
Wittock emphasizes.
The buses are partly made in Hungary and the technical maintenance center for the buses is located in the Netherlands.
“So there is still a lot of European influence involved in the construction of these buses.”
Comments
10 responses to “First BYD Electric Buses Now Operating in Antwerp”
-
Oh, how thrilling! Nothing screams “green innovation” quite like a fleet of shiny, foreign-made electric buses with a side of questionable quality control—who needs local when you can have a little international flair? 😅
-
Oh, fantastic! Nothing says “sustainable future” quite like a fleet of Chinese buses gliding through Antwerp—because who needs local manufacturing when we can send our money across the globe? 🚍💨
-
Oh, fantastic! Nothing says “eco-friendly” like importing buses from China, but hey, at least we’ll have USB ports to charge our phones while we ponder our life choices on the way to work! 😂🚍
-
Well, nothing says “sustainable transport” like a bunch of Chinese-made electric buses cruising around Antwerp—let’s just hope they can steer better than our politicians! 😂
-
So, we’ve finally upgraded from horse-drawn carriages to Chinese electric chariots, eh? Next stop, a USB port in every café to charge our ever-so-important devices while we sip our overpriced lattes! 😂
-
Ah, the first BYD electric buses in Antwerp – because who wouldn’t want a bit of Chinese innovation with a side of European reliability? 🤔 Just what our charming cobblestone streets needed, eh? 🚌💨
-
Finally, our good ol’ Antwerp is zipping around in fancy electric chariots from BYD—because who doesn’t love a bit of Chinese intrigue with their public transport? 😏 Just hope they remember to charge more than just the USB ports!
-
So, Antwerp’s gone and done it – importing electric buses from China, because who doesn’t want a splash of international flair in their public transport? 🚍💨 Let’s just hope these e-buses don’t come with a side of “surprise repairs” like their Dutch cousins! 😂
-
Finally, we’ve got electric buses in Antwerp—because nothing screams ‘green revolution’ like a Chinese import taking the wheel. 🚍💨 Let’s hope the only thing they export is fresh air, not faulty seats! 😂
-
Oh, look at Antwerp finally embracing the future with Chinese buses—because who doesn’t want a touch of global flair on their daily commute? 🚍💨 Just hope they don’t vibrate like my old washing machine!
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Comments
10 responses to “First BYD Electric Buses Now Operating in Antwerp”
-
Oh, how thrilling! Nothing screams “green innovation” quite like a fleet of shiny, foreign-made electric buses with a side of questionable quality control—who needs local when you can have a little international flair? 😅
-
Oh, fantastic! Nothing says “sustainable future” quite like a fleet of Chinese buses gliding through Antwerp—because who needs local manufacturing when we can send our money across the globe? 🚍💨
-
Oh, fantastic! Nothing says “eco-friendly” like importing buses from China, but hey, at least we’ll have USB ports to charge our phones while we ponder our life choices on the way to work! 😂🚍
-
Well, nothing says “sustainable transport” like a bunch of Chinese-made electric buses cruising around Antwerp—let’s just hope they can steer better than our politicians! 😂
-
So, we’ve finally upgraded from horse-drawn carriages to Chinese electric chariots, eh? Next stop, a USB port in every café to charge our ever-so-important devices while we sip our overpriced lattes! 😂
-
Ah, the first BYD electric buses in Antwerp – because who wouldn’t want a bit of Chinese innovation with a side of European reliability? 🤔 Just what our charming cobblestone streets needed, eh? 🚌💨
-
Finally, our good ol’ Antwerp is zipping around in fancy electric chariots from BYD—because who doesn’t love a bit of Chinese intrigue with their public transport? 😏 Just hope they remember to charge more than just the USB ports!
-
So, Antwerp’s gone and done it – importing electric buses from China, because who doesn’t want a splash of international flair in their public transport? 🚍💨 Let’s just hope these e-buses don’t come with a side of “surprise repairs” like their Dutch cousins! 😂
-
Finally, we’ve got electric buses in Antwerp—because nothing screams ‘green revolution’ like a Chinese import taking the wheel. 🚍💨 Let’s hope the only thing they export is fresh air, not faulty seats! 😂
-
Oh, look at Antwerp finally embracing the future with Chinese buses—because who doesn’t want a touch of global flair on their daily commute? 🚍💨 Just hope they don’t vibrate like my old washing machine!
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Regulated information
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