BYD this month completed its first electric buses at its new 45,000-square-foot assembly plant in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, opened in mid-2019.
The first two BYD 40-foot K9M buses were delivered to the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), the largest transit operator in Canada and the third-largest transit operator in North America, which ordered a total of 10 units. The remaining eight will be delivered in the “coming days”.
“The delivery is a milestone for BYD, as the vehicles are the first to undergo final assembly by BYD at its 45,000-square-foot facility in Newmarket, Ontario that is the first new electric bus plant to open in the province in a generation. BYD’s investment in its Newmarket plant demonstrates BYD’s commitment to bringing bus manufacturing jobs back to Ontario.”
“Each of these new buses will remove approximately 9 Metric tons of nitrogen oxides, 159 kilograms of diesel particulate matter, and approximately 1,530 Metric tons of CO₂ from the atmosphere over the 12-year lifecycle of the vehicle.”
TTC is not the only customer in Canada who purchased BYD buses, but probably it’s potentially the biggest one.
TTC intends to order only electric buses beginning in 2025 and complete the switch to a 100% electric fleet by 2040.
BYD President Stella Li said:
“We are excited to put BYD’s first bus from our Newmarket facility into service in Toronto. TTC’s commitment to the community is remarkable and we are glad to be partners in their efforts.”
BYD Canada Vice President Ted Dowling said:
“This is really the first step in what we hope will be a long-lasting relationship. TTC’s commitment to the health and well-being of Toronto pairs well with our commitments to technology and innovation.”