Electric buses coming to Schiphol

Schiphol Airport has inked a deal with Chinese car manufacturer BYD for 35 all-electric 12-meter-long buses. The buses will be used for shuffling passengers from gates to aircraft not using a jetway.

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BYD claims the Schiphol fleet of tailpipe-free electric buses is Europe's largest. The vehicles will hit the airport tarmac in about a year.

"We won this contract on the strength of our proven technology and ability to support their 10-year operating contract," said BYD Europe Managing Director Isbrand Ho. "We are confident that this high-profile contract will persuade many other bus operators inside and outside the airport business to consider all-electric BYD buses."

The buses can travel for 250 kilometers on a single charge. Recharge time takes about five hours overnight. In recent months, BYD has announced deals to send 25 buses to Los Angeles, 10 more to Long Beach, California, and another 10 to Windsor, Ontario. The vehicles are also in the Dutch province of Friesland.

BYD Europe is based in Rotterdam.