Chinese manufacturer produces world’s first fully electric double-deck bus

The world’s first fully electric double-deck bus was launched by London's transport authority TfL last month. Built by the Chinese automaker BYD, the bus can carry 81 passengers and is be able to travel 180 miles (290 km) before needing to be recharged. The buses were planned to start their service in the British capital in April.

The manufacturing of such a bus was a challenge for BYD which had to come up with a new compact battery design to allow the technology to be applied to the double-decker.

The new buses will contribute to lowering the carbon emission and thus to improving the air quality in London which currently regularly exceeds EU standards. BYD hopes that more European cities will adopt this model in their efforts to find solutions to air pollution.