(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
BYD UK and Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) have announced that their electric vehicle partnership has delivered its 500th electric bus.
The zero emission double decker has joined the fleet of the partnership’s launch customer, Go-Ahead London, as orders for the next 500 BYD ADL electric buses have already been confirmed for public transport operators across the UK.
BYD is a global leader in batteries, energy management and electric mobility, while ADL is a subsidiary of leading independent global bus manufacturer NFI Group Inc. (NFI).
BYD and ADL signed a partnership agreement in October 2015, and the partnership delivered its first buses the following summer.
Its electric buses for the UK and Ireland are built in Britain, ensuring that investment in cleaner transport benefits communities across the country, as well as the environment.
Less than five years after rolling out the first, the partnership has now delivered the 500th BYD ADL electric bus. This BYD ADL Enviro400EV double decker is one of 20 that have joined the Go-Ahead London fleet for Transport for London route 69 between Walthamstow and Canning Town.
Go-Ahead London has worked closely with the BYD ADL partnership since its inception, becoming its launch customer in 2016 and continuing to support product development with its operational experience. This has made Go-Ahead the country’s biggest operator of electric buses, including nearly half of the 500 BYD ADL electric buses delivered so far.
Frank Thorpe, Managing Director of BYD UK, said: “We were delighted in 2015 when Go-Ahead London embarked upon their journey towards electrification with us, and we’re even more thrilled today as we celebrate the handover of the 500th BYD ADL electric bus. It’s a very significant milestone, and not only for the BYD ADL partnership. It demonstrates clearly the commitment of the nation’s capital to decarbonization, with eMobility playing an increasingly fundamental role in delivering a cleaner transport system for millions of people. Operators like Go-Ahead London, with the BYD ADL partnership in support, really are leading the charge.”
ADL UK Sales Director, Martin Brailey said: “As we prepare to transition chassis assembly to our UK facilities to deliver a product fully built in Britain, the BYD ADL partnership’s winning combination of class-leading technology and design expertise continues to set the standard for electric buses. This has been made possible by our customers, and none more so than Go-Ahead London, who were the first outside China to convert an entire depot to electric operation with the launch order five years ago and who continue to challenge us to deliver ongoing innovation.”
John Trayner, Go-Ahead London’s Managing Director, said: “It is fitting that this significant milestone took place at Waterloo, our global award-winning all-electric bus garage. Waterloo pioneered electric bus technology in 2013 and it quickly proved reliable in the capital’s high frequency and demanding stop/start operating environment. Along with the Mayor, Transport for London and other important infrastructure partners, we are seamlessly transitioning the capital’s iconic red bus fleet to deliver a zero-emission public transport offering. Congratulations to the BYD ADL partnership on reaching 500 e-bus deliveries.”
Richard Harrington, Go-Ahead London’s Engineering Director, added: “We know that our people enjoy driving and maintaining what was, until relatively recently, a new technology. Go-Ahead London has a proud history of innovation and as our buses switch from diesel to other technologies, our experience as the UK’s largest e-bus operator, with over 200 BYD ADL electric vehicles in service, will prove invaluable.”
The BYD ADL partnership has already taken firm orders for the next 500 electric buses, expected to be delivered over the next twelve months and taking the partnership’s total to over 1000.
BYD and Berkshire Hathaway
In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares for $232 million. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $232 million had grown in value to $5.897 billion as of December 31, 2020.
© 2021 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway and BYD, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.