The City of Columbia has nearly doubled the Central Missouri municipality’s zero-emission fleet with the addition of three more BYD K8M 35-foot all-electric buses.
The BYD buses come equipped with a 435-kWh LFP battery, which can recharge in three hours. The buses were made at BYD’s Coach & Bus Manufacturing facility in Lancaster, California.
The new buses will have greater seating capacity and 30% more range than the four 30-foot BYD K7M buses already in use in Columbia.
“Our riders like them a lot. The buses are quiet, and they ride very well. They’re really smooth,” Mike Sokoff, Transit and Parking Manager for the city, said. “The City of Columbia is committed to sustainability as part of a climate action plan designed to significantly reduce pollution. Transitioning our bus fleet from traditional diesel to zero emission is very important.”
The buses will contribute to the city’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan goals of reducing its community GHG emissions by 35% by 2035 and 100% by 2050.
