Yutong has secured what it says is the world’s largest ever order for electric buses in the form of a deal for 741 from Qatar public transport operator Mowasalat. They are part of a total order of 1,002 buses that will be utilised at 2022’s FIFA World Cup in the country. 68 of the zero-emission vehicles will be TCe12 coaches. The remainder will be buses.
The deal was signed at an online ceremony on 30 November. It was attended by Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, Chinese Ambassador to Qatar Zhou Jian, other dignitaries and representatives of Yutong, including CEO Tang Yuxiang (pictured, centre).
Yutong also supported the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Qatar 2022 will be the first World Cup to adopt a large number of zero-emission buses. The order takes to 130,000 the number of ‘new energy’ buses that Yutong has sold. They are for over 350 cities in 24 countries, it says.
Through dealership Pelican Bus and Coach, Yutong has delivered three battery-electric bus orders in the UK in 2020: 14 E12s to Newport Transport, nine E10s to First Bus in Leeds and – most recently – nine E10 models to Go North East. Pelican has also delivered the TCe12 battery-electric coach to two operators: Westway Coaches of West Molesey and Dundee-based Ember for scheduled service use.
At the same time as it completed the deal for 1,002 buses in Qatar, Yutong also signed a framework agreement with Qatar Free Zones Authority and Mowasalat to establish a knockdown factory in the country.
