BYD: The Tech London Wants
Since mid-2025, the BYD BD11 double decker has been prominently featured in the city's newest lines, the Superloop, for example in SL4 (Grove Park to Canary Wharf). Yet, some Londoners seem to have concerns regarding the level of faith TfL have within the company BYD for ensuring their buses are up to guideline standards. The company, BYD, has been supplying hundreds and hundreds of double decker buses to the London community but what reasons does the government have to want them?
According to the BYD website itself, these are some features that it boasts:
The Battery
The battery that the BD11 has spans a large amount of the lower deck’s floor, allowing it to charge 532 kWh. This battery allows the bus to travel a long distance with a large amount of passengers, which is why it is optimal for long routes like the Superloop.
High Safety
The bus has a wide variety of features in mind for the passengers’ safety. Like the Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS). This gives a display warning of a collision and a sound to alert the driver, then brakes slowly to get attention, but then finally it applies all brakes to stop an imminent collision. It has classic Blind Spot Monitoring and cyber security certifications to stop a cyber breach.
Due to being a double decker bus, it can hold 90 passengers whilst still allowing passengers to travel in comfort. There is wheelchair accessibility on the bottom floor while the top floor allows for picturesque views of the bustling city ahead.
There are a number of features exclusive to BYD. For instance, the BD11 has a 6-in-1 controller, integrating 6 electrical elements in one plug and play set. 2 electric motor control units, 1 steering control unit, 1 air compressor controller, 1 DC-DC converter and a power distributor unit.
There is a low accident rate. The LF74 TZM in November 2024 had been involved in a thermal incident, yet no fatal or harmful accidents have been revealed to the public. The BYD BD11 has had a remarkable standard of safety and beyond that due to the fact the BYD BD11 is battery-powered, meaning it is one of the most eco-friendly forms of public transportation, therefore appealing to environmentalists.