Public transport operator Azienda Trasporti Verona (ATV) has introduced 34 battery-electric buses from Chinese manufacturer BYD into service, expanding efforts to modernize and decarbonize public transport in the northern Italian city.
Most of the new vehicles are 12-metre B12 buses, supplemented by several units of the similarly sized K9UD model. The deployment marks the first time the B12 has entered regular passenger service in Italy after its unveiling at Busworld 2023.
The B12 uses BYD’s Blade Battery technology, based on lithium iron phosphate chemistry, with the battery integrated directly into the chassis as a structural element. This configuration improves torsional rigidity while housing a 416 kWh energy pack capable of delivering a range of up to 530 kilometres.
The buses support CCS2 fast charging at up to 170 kW through dual charging ports. With a gross vehicle weight of 19.5 tonnes, the B12 accommodates 29 seated passengers and up to 88 passengers in total.
ATV’s fleet expansion also includes the BYD K9UD, another 12-metre electric bus offering similar seating capacity but a total passenger capacity of 82. This model charges at up to 100 kW per port, also using two charging connectors.
The deployment forms part of a long-term technology partnership between BYD and ATV aimed at advancing electric mobility in Verona. However, the transition will take time, as the operator currently runs about 600 buses across its network.
The rollout comes amid growing competition among electric bus suppliers in Italy. Rival manufacturer Yutong recently delivered electric buses to Trentino Trasporti in northern Italy, where they are being used on routes serving venues linked to Winter Olympic events in the region.