Chinese automaker BYD has been selected to supply 35 electric buses to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. The new buses, which will be used to transfer passengers between airplanes and terminals, will enter service in July of 2014, replacing a legacy fleet of diesel buses.

Aims of the Sustainable Bus System of Schiphol include reducing maintenance costs and improving the airport’s air quality.

Four other established suppliers competed with BYD for the lucrative contract. “Winning this contract was a vital step in our strategy to deliver emissions-free, public-transport vehicles,” said Isbrand Ho, BYD Europe’s Managing Director. “We won this contract on the strength of our proven technology and ability to support their 10-year operating contract.”

BYD’s 40-foot electric bus was built as an EV from the start. It features an all-aluminum frame and several technologies that were developed in-house, including the in-wheel hub motors, the regenerative braking system, and BYD’s iron-phosphate battery, which contains no caustic materials, toxic electrolytes or heavy metals, and is fully recyclable. The bus has a range of 155 miles and can be fully charged in five hours.

Source: BYD