BYD to Convert University Bus Fleet Into Nation’s First All-Electric Shuttle Service

BYD was chosen to convert the Anteater Express bus fleet at the University of California, Irvine into an all-electric shuttle service. The new electric fleet will provide more than 2 million pollution-free rides annually at UCI.

UCI’s undergraduate student government and Anteater Express formed “The Bus Love” initiative in 2013 after students voted and passed a student fee referendum to transform the Anteater Express shuttle to a more sustainable fleet. Undergraduate students voted to pay up to $40 per quarter to cover the purchase and other costs.

The shuttle service is fully operated and funded by UCI students. A decision was made to purchase 20 BYD K9M buses to replace UCI’s 29 diesel buses. The K9M buses will be used to provide transportation to UCI students across its 1,500-acre campus and various off-campus locations.

“We are excited to be the first college in the nation to have a fully-electric zero-tailpipe-emissions bus fleet,” said Lydia Natoolo, associated students of UCI president. “With this project, we hope to position UCI as a model for other colleges to follow in achieving sustainability.”

UCI has been ranking among the top 10 of the Sierra Club’s “Coolest Schools” over the past eight years for its sustainability efforts. The college is also working diligently to achieve its Carbon Neutrality Goal, a pledge supported by the University of California, to emit net-zero carbon greenhouse gases from buildings and vehicles by 2025. The new electric fleet will greatly affect the positive impact of this goal.

“The student board selected BYD’s battery electric buses because it supports our pledge to emit net-zero carbon greenhouse gases, the leading contributor to climate change,” said Natoolo.

The K9M electric buses have a range of approximately 161 miles on a single charge and a capacity of up to 41 passengers, depending on the precise configuration. The buses are projected to cost roughly $1 less per mile to operate than typical diesel-powered buses. The new buses also will produce no emissions, make oil changes a thing of the past and offer dramatically lower maintenance costs.

“It’s a privilege to witness UCI make history by becoming the first college in the nation to transform its shuttle service to all-electric with our very own K9M buses,” stated Macy Neshati, senior vice president of BYD Heavy Industries. “We are honored to provide 20 electric buses that will help start the conversation for other college campuses to jump on board to a sustainable future.”

The proprietary BYD Iron-Phosphate battery that powers the K9M is manufactured in Lancaster, California. This revolutionary battery is nontoxic, 100 percent recyclable, fire-safe and incredibly long- cycled. BYD is the first and only electric bus manufacturer to offer a 12-year warranty on its batteries.