ABC Magazine Stories, Australia, Bus Industry News, Company News, Electric Buses

Bus Search: BYD builds momentum through 2025 milestones

After a year that involved numerous milestones and a special initial electric bus delivery to a Victorian operator, BYD is continuing to evolve its local commercial vehicles division

For BYD, 2025 has been all about milestones. After committing to its customer base in the Australian bus industry with an investment in its aftersales servicing processes and staff, the manufacturer enjoyed numerous local and global achievements.

In July, the international brand celebrated 60,000 vehicles delivered in Australia, while its continual focus on its global prowess and capabilities resulted in the delivery of BYD’s 5,000th electric bus in Europe in late September.

By the end of the year, the very first BYD electric bus as part of a new wave of zero-emissions vehicles was delivered to Dyson Group in Melbourne’s north.

“There’s been plenty of changes made since we first formed the commercial vehicles division in Australia,” BYD commercial vehicles director Jon Tozer told ABC.

“We first sought to repair our reputation in the local sector as a respected bus manufacturer, investing in our aftersales team and product support to help local customers.”

These milestones came in short time, as BYD decided to establish its own commercial vehicles division in Australia just under three years ago. This move to build its own full factory backed commercial vehicle division for buses and trucks in Australia and New Zealand is paying off, with Dysons’ milestone electric bus order heralding a new era for the local transport sector.

  • Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to receive the latest news and classifieds from Australasia’s bus and coach industry
  • Don’t miss a second and subscribe to our monthly ABC magazine

During this period in 2025, BYD’s commercial vehicles team has grown, bolstered by spare parts and aftersales staff, while BYD also established its very own national parts distribution centre in Melbourne alongside a Sydney parts centre.

“The BYD chassis is the only electric chassis on the market with a fully integral E-driveline – we’re the only manufacturer that manufactures the full drive system from the electric batteries, motors and the control systems for our chassis,” Tozer says.

“It means the chassis is a one-stop shop solution.”

Throughout 2025, the brand built on its existing electric bus chassis range. This included the release of its articulated electric bus model, innovating the longer-bus market. Alongside this, the recently unveiled B70 and revamped BC12B1 are highlights of BYD’s local commercial vehicles department.

In a market first, BYD now offers 10-year/3,300 cycle greater than 80 per cent of original capacity warranty on the BC12A05 city bus chassis, providing operators with greater surety on battery life expectations.

These developments in the commercial vehicle sector added to BYD’s overall vehicle dominance in Australia, with the manufacturer surpassing 60,000 vehicles sales in Australia in just under three years throughout 2025. In June, the brand finished in a record fifth place as one of Australia’s highest-selling automotive brands.

Globally, the delivery of its 5,000th electric bus in Europe resulted in a special ceremony, as BYD members converged on Danish public transport operator Umove to unveil the BYD eBus B12.b.

The manufacturer says the BYD eBus B12.b is a groundbreaking model, equipped with BYD’s industry-leading Blade Battery integrated with CTC (Cell to Chassis) technology, specifically tailored for the European market.

The best milestone for BYD was left until last from a local perspective, as Dysons’ first major step in its large-scale transition to zero-emissions transport, which includes a redeveloped new depot, was to receive the first of its BYD electric buses.

These vehicles form the first of more than 168 electric buses that will enter the operator’s Melbourne network over the next nine years, with training programs already underway to familiarise staff with the new technology and maintenance teams preparing workshops for electric vehicles.

What to look forward to in 2026

With an Expo on the horizon, 2026 serves as another important year for BYD. Despite market challenges, the global manufacturer is looking to continue enhancing its spare parts and aftersales development locally while also delivering more electric buses to innovative operators like Dysons in Victoria.

On the product side, Tozer is teasing the introduction of new bus models across the market ahead of the Expo in Sydney, with the industry set to benefit from the global OEM’s latest technology in the coming year.

“We have so many products to get excited about, but we’re also focusing on continuing to improve our aftersales service offerings,” Tozer says.

“There’s plenty more to come from us, including the introduction of BYD trucks into Australia and New Zealand, so stay tuned.”

Read more:

  1. Australian Truck Radio Listen Live
Send this to a friend