Yutong U18 BRT debuts in Norway (and Europe): 18.7 metres, up to 704 kWh and 125-passenger capacity

Yutong has presented the BRT version of its U18 battery-electric articulated bus for Norway and other European markets, alongside the opening of the manufacturer’s first comprehensive European service center in Stokke, Norway.

The new low-floor model is designed for BRT and high-capacity urban routes. The specifications indicate a length of 18,720 mm, width of 2,550 mm and height of 3,200 mm, with wheelbases of 5,900 and 6,650 mm.

In terms of exterior design, the U18 BRT shows a striking visual resemblance to the Irizar ie tram, particularly in the treatment of the front end and the tram-inspired styling adopted for the articulated body.

Yutong U18 BRT offers up to 704 kWh and dual-plug charging

The U18 is available with three battery configurations of 579, 621 and 704 kWh, according to Yutong’s press material.

Yutong states that the 704 kWh configuration can provide a driving range of more than 700 kilometres under the SORT2 cycle.

In brief

• Which are the main dimensions of the Yutong U18 BRT?
  The displayed vehicle is 18.72 metres long, 2.55 metres wide and 3.20 metres high.
• How many passengers can it carry?
  The vehicle display specifies up to 125 passengers and 46 seats.
• What is the maximum battery capacity?
  Three battery options are listed by Yutong, topping out at 704 kWh.
• What charging configuration was shown?
  The presented U18 features dual-plug charging, with 300 kW charging power specified on its technical display.

The technical display gives a maximum capacity of 125 passengers and up to 46 seats, with a maximum manufacturer’s total mass of 30,000 kg and a maximum speed of 70 km/h.

The bus on display is configured for dual-plug charging, with the technical sheet specifying 300 kW charging capability. The manufacturer’s press documentation provides additional technical details, stating that the liquid-cooled charging system operates at up to 500 A through a single connector and 1,000 A when using both connectors. According to Yutong, charging from 12% to 100% can be completed in 1.3 hours.

The U18 uses a new-generation silicon-carbide seven-in-one controller integrating functions including traction motor control, steering control, DC/DC conversion and charging.

Yutong specifies maximum controller efficiency of 99.8%, a 25% reduction in system weight and a 10% reduction in vehicle energy consumption compared with its previous generation. The traction system uses dual flat-wire motors, for which the manufacturer states a service life of 20 years or two million kilometres.

U18 BRT battery system designed for temperatures down to -40°C

The U18 BRT’s battery system complies with Yutong’s YESS safety standards and is designed to operate at temperatures ranging from -40°C to 55°C.

According to the manufacturer, the battery installation can withstand a 2.7-tonne side collision and a 49-tonne rear collision. It incorporates a nitrogen protection system and a sandwich isolation structure designed to prevent flames from spreading outside the battery enclosure for two hours in the event of thermal runaway.

An integrated liquid cooling and heating system manages battery temperature, while the battery installation complies with the ECE R100 standard.

At vehicle level, Yutong specifies compliance with ECE R29 for frontal collision, ECE R93 for front underrun protection and ECE R66 for rollover strength.

The body structure uses QSTE700TM high-strength steel with a closed-ring design and detachable side-wall skin. According to Yutong, its electrophoresis treatment consists of 15 procedures and a five-layer protection system, with the manufacturer specifying ten years without structural corrosion.

Driver assistance and passenger equipment on the Yutong U18

The driver’s area features a full air-suspension seat with ventilation, heating and an off-seat alarm. The cockpit combines a 10.25-inch instrument display, 10.1-inch central control display and 10.1-inch monitoring screen.

The specification displayed with the vehicle also lists Emergency Assist for Pedal Misapplication (EAPM) and intelligent power control.

Other safety and driver-assistance equipment detailed by Yutong includes EBS, ESC, hill-start assistance, Brake Hold, emergency brake assistance, tire-pressure monitoring and lane-departure warning. A front-facing camera and millimetre-wave radar support ADDW fatigue warning and CMS collision-mitigation functions.

The passenger and driver areas have separate climate-control zones. The passenger compartment uses microporous air outlets together with an air purifier and fresh-air system, with Yutong specifying a complete ventilation cycle of five to ten minutes.

Yutong U18 and Irizar ie tram: remarkably close specifications

The positioning of the U18 also puts the new Yutong in direct comparison with the renewed Irizar ie tram Efficient, presented in June 2026. Beyond a striking visual resemblance between the two tram-inspired articulated buses, their dimensions and maximum battery capacities are remarkably close.

There is also an interesting point concerning vehicle length. The previous Irizar ie tram range included both 18.1- and 18.7-metre articulated versions, alongside the 10.6- and 12.1-metre models. With the introduction of the Efficient generation, Irizar has simplified the articulated range around a single 18.2-metre version. The Yutong U18, at 18.72 metres, therefore sits almost exactly at the length of the 18.7-metre ie tram configuration that is being discontinued as part of Irizar’s range rationalisation.

The Yutong measures 18.72 metres in length and 3.20 metres in height according to the specifications displayed alongside the vehicle, compared with 18.2 metres and 3.30 metres for the new ie tram Efficient. Maximum battery capacity is separated by just 10 kWh: 704 kWh for the U18 and 714 kWh for the Irizar.

Passenger capacity is similarly close. The technical panel accompanying the Yutong indicates a maximum of 125 passengers and up to 46 seats, while the ie tram Efficient prototype presented in Paris accommodates up to 129 passengers, comprising 36 fixed seats, four folding seats and 89 standing passengers.