China’s Yutong, world’s top electric-bus maker, touts new technology as exports grow
With quick-charge batteries from CATL, firm aims to extend driving range by 10 per cent while cutting operating cost by 20 per cent
Yutong Bus, the world’s largest electric-bus maker, has unveiled a new technology platform that aims to boost driving ranges and cut operating costs, as it vies for a bigger slice of a growing market amid a decarbonisation push by public transport fleets worldwide.
“The new generation of batteries can be fully charged within 2.5 hours at normal speed during downtimes when city buses are back in depots,” he said. “For long-distance coaches, drivers can do up to a 50 per cent charge in 30 minutes while taking their rests.”
On Tuesday, Shanghai-listed CATL launched a new battery system for commercial vehicles called Tectrans at a trade show in Hanover, Germany.
CATL, which is based in Ningde, in China’s southeast Fujian province, said one version will allow for a 70 per cent charge in just 15 minutes for heavy trucks, while another enables a lifespan of up to 15 years or 2.8 million kilometers, compared with eight to 10 years for the current generation of batteries. Both editions offer driving ranges of up to 500km.
