Capital Area Transit System Adds 3 BYD Buses
Los Angeles, CA, March 19, 2021 --(PR.com)-- BYD (Build Your Dreams) announced the delivery of three American-made K8M battery-electric buses to Capital Area Transit System (CATS) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The highly reliable and safe K8M 35-ft electric bus is equipped with a 435kWh LFP battery and can be fully charged within 3 hours. The bus, manufactured at BYD’s factory in Lancaster, California, has 32-passenger seating capacity and 28-passenger standing capacity.
The bus order is the second purchase by CATS from BYD. The transit agency put three K8M buses into revenue service in September 2019. CATS’ capital improvement plan calls for additional electric vehicle purchases in the coming years.
“CATS is excited to grow our electric vehicle fleet. This recent purchase reflects a commitment that both the agency and the Board of Commissioners made, to diversify the fleet and transition to a cleaner and more energy efficient set of buses,” said CATS CEO, Bill Deville. “These electric buses will be utilized on our Plank-Nicholson BRT route, a project underway in partnership with the City-Parish and Build Baton Rouge,” continued Deville.
“We’re honored that the forward-thinking leaders of CATS have once again chosen BYD buses to serve its passengers,” said Patrick Duan, BYD Senior Vice President North America. “Our innovative battery-electric buses will help keep the air clean and lower the transit agency’s operating costs and at the same time provide customers with a comfort ride.”
The K8M set a high-scoring record in the Federal Transit Administration Model Bus Testing Program in Altoona, Pa., establishing a new benchmark for the American electric bus industry.
The record-setting performance included high marks in structural durability, reliability, maintainability, and safety. As a result, U.S. transit agencies can confidently use FTA funding to buy the K8M.
In November, CATS was honored with the “Rising Star” award by the Louisiana Clean Fuels organization for the introduction of the BYD buses, which reduced greenhouse gases by 40 tons in just the first few months of operation. Earlier this year, CATS ordered three more K8M buses which will bring the total fleet to nine buses.
About BYD
The Official Sponsor of Mother Nature™, BYD, which stands for Build Your Dreams, is the world’s leading electric vehicle company with proven innovative technology for cars, buses, trucks, forklifts, and rail systems – like SkyRail. BYD is dedicated to creating a truly zero-emission ecosystem offering technology for solar electricity generation, energy storage to save that electricity, and battery-electric vehicles powered by that clean energy. Globally, BYD is committed to corporate social responsibility, monitoring our supply chain in terms of human rights, environmental safety, hazardous substance control and intellectual property rights. We select only suppliers who share our commitment to labor practices, human rights standards and the environment. BYD has 220,000 employees across the globe, including nearly 1,000 in North America. For more information, please visit www.BYD.com or follow BYD on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
Contact: Jim Skeen/media relations specialist at jim.skeen@byd.com/661-264-8365.
About CATS
The Capital Area Transit System is the regional transit authority for the cities of Baton Rouge and Baker. CATS operates 22 fixed routes and provides curb-to-curb paratransit service for customers with disabilities. CATS manages a $29million budget that is comprised of federal and state grants, property tax, and agency-generated revenue. More information can be found at www.brcats.com, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The highly reliable and safe K8M 35-ft electric bus is equipped with a 435kWh LFP battery and can be fully charged within 3 hours. The bus, manufactured at BYD’s factory in Lancaster, California, has 32-passenger seating capacity and 28-passenger standing capacity.
The bus order is the second purchase by CATS from BYD. The transit agency put three K8M buses into revenue service in September 2019. CATS’ capital improvement plan calls for additional electric vehicle purchases in the coming years.
“CATS is excited to grow our electric vehicle fleet. This recent purchase reflects a commitment that both the agency and the Board of Commissioners made, to diversify the fleet and transition to a cleaner and more energy efficient set of buses,” said CATS CEO, Bill Deville. “These electric buses will be utilized on our Plank-Nicholson BRT route, a project underway in partnership with the City-Parish and Build Baton Rouge,” continued Deville.
“We’re honored that the forward-thinking leaders of CATS have once again chosen BYD buses to serve its passengers,” said Patrick Duan, BYD Senior Vice President North America. “Our innovative battery-electric buses will help keep the air clean and lower the transit agency’s operating costs and at the same time provide customers with a comfort ride.”
The K8M set a high-scoring record in the Federal Transit Administration Model Bus Testing Program in Altoona, Pa., establishing a new benchmark for the American electric bus industry.
The record-setting performance included high marks in structural durability, reliability, maintainability, and safety. As a result, U.S. transit agencies can confidently use FTA funding to buy the K8M.
In November, CATS was honored with the “Rising Star” award by the Louisiana Clean Fuels organization for the introduction of the BYD buses, which reduced greenhouse gases by 40 tons in just the first few months of operation. Earlier this year, CATS ordered three more K8M buses which will bring the total fleet to nine buses.
About BYD
The Official Sponsor of Mother Nature™, BYD, which stands for Build Your Dreams, is the world’s leading electric vehicle company with proven innovative technology for cars, buses, trucks, forklifts, and rail systems – like SkyRail. BYD is dedicated to creating a truly zero-emission ecosystem offering technology for solar electricity generation, energy storage to save that electricity, and battery-electric vehicles powered by that clean energy. Globally, BYD is committed to corporate social responsibility, monitoring our supply chain in terms of human rights, environmental safety, hazardous substance control and intellectual property rights. We select only suppliers who share our commitment to labor practices, human rights standards and the environment. BYD has 220,000 employees across the globe, including nearly 1,000 in North America. For more information, please visit www.BYD.com or follow BYD on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
Contact: Jim Skeen/media relations specialist at jim.skeen@byd.com/661-264-8365.
About CATS
The Capital Area Transit System is the regional transit authority for the cities of Baton Rouge and Baker. CATS operates 22 fixed routes and provides curb-to-curb paratransit service for customers with disabilities. CATS manages a $29million budget that is comprised of federal and state grants, property tax, and agency-generated revenue. More information can be found at www.brcats.com, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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BYD
Kelsey Cone
661-436-0513
byd.com
Kelsey Cone
661-436-0513
byd.com
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