The B13.b electric bus, an advancement of the existing B13 model, was introduced by BYD for the intercity market. The bus, which is now constructed on the company’s integrated Blade Battery Chassis, has a structural battery that allows for “up to 700 kilometres of range“.
At the UITP Summit in Hamburg, BYD unveiled its new electric intercity bus, which represents the large-format zero-emission vehicle’s European debut. The company’s second model to use the Blade Battery Chassis platform was the all-electric B12, which made its debut at Busworld Europe 2023. The B13.b comes after that model. The LFP battery is directly integrated into the vehicle construction through the use of cell-to-chassis technology.
The new platform allows the B13.b to accommodate a battery up to 560 kWh in size, which is 54 kWh greater than its predecessor. Depending on operating conditions, the bus can travel “up to 700 kilometres” on a single charge, according to BYD. The SORT cycle (Standardised On-Road Test) preliminary data served as the basis for the figure.
The 13.2-metre-long vehicle has 49 seats and can carry up to 78 passengers, which is eight more than the B13 that is currently on the market. Two hub motors with a combined power of 150 kW power it. BYD provides a 476 kWh battery version that allows for a range of up to 620 km in addition to the 560 kWh battery version that has a 700 km range. The maximum speed is limited to 100 kph.
The B13.b may be charged using either dual-side charging with two 192 kW connections or regular DC fast charging at 192 kW (single-side). Additionally, the car may be charged using a pantograph at up to 500 kW.
In September 2022, BYD made its Blade Battery Chassis debut at the IAA Transportation. This platform’s most notable feature is the battery’s positioning in the underfloor space, between the axles and in the back, which permits the chassis arrangement to be entirely electric. A novel 6-in-1 controller with silicon carbide semiconductors and two hairpin-wound hub motors is another aspect of the two BYD models constructed on this foundation.