Hyundai Motor unveils electric double-decker bus

Hyundai Motor Company announced on Wednesday the reveal of its electric double-decker bus at the Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Technology Fair held at the Korea International Exhibition Center, Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. The newly unveiled bus was the result of Hyundai Motor’s 18-month project, which began in December 2017, to develop an electric double-decker bus with large capacity supported by the South Korean Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs.

The large electric double-decker bus is 12,990 millimeters long, 3,995 millimeters high., and 2,490 millimeters wide. It can carry 70 passengers—11 seats on the first floor and 59 seats on the second floor—excluding a driver. Its low floor design and automatic sliding ramp for wheelchair access make it easy for those with mobility issues to get off and on the bus. There are two fixed-in-space wheelchairs available as well. The bus equipped with a 384 kWh water-cooled high-efficiency polymer battery offers a maximum 300 kilometers driving range on a single charge. The battery only requires 72 minutes to be fully charged.

The South Korean automaker’s latest bus is also equipped with the Vehicle Dynamic Control function, which identifies a driver's intended driving direction and maintain the vehicle in control to ensure the safety of passengers.


Hyoun-Soo Kim kimhs@donga.com