BYD is delivering 70 K9UD in Florence, where 100 e-buses will be operating by 2026

RATP-owned carrier Autolinee Toscane has introduced 25 new BYD electric buses into service in Florence, alongside a new 1.72 MW overnight charging facility at the Peretola depot. An additional 53 electric buses will follow by mid-2026, supported by a second charging hub under development in the Olmatello area.

BYD has launched in Hamburg, on the occasion of UITP Summit 2025 in mid-June 2025, the intercity Low Entry model B13.b. And an articulated model based on the new blade chassis platform is coming.

Also 8 Iveco e-buses to be supplied

Thanks to cost efficiencies, the original plan for 70 electric buses has been expanded to 78 vehicles, including 8 additional 12-metre Iveco e-buses, Autolinee Toscane says. The project is fully funded by the EU through Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) under the Next Generation EU programme.

Autolinee Toscane, as project implementer on behalf of the City of Florence and the Tuscany Region, managed the procurement, design, and construction of the entire operation, advancing public funds and handling the process through its internal teams.

The new buses will mainly serve urban routes 6, 20, and 23 and feature a 260 km range, AVM tracking, contactless payment, and full video surveillance.

These new 25 vehicles are of the BYD K9UD model, with 3 doors, 12 metres long, with 85-person passenger capacity, feature a battery capacity of 422 kWh for a stated range of 260 km. They will be white, as will all urban vehicles from Tuscany, with an AVM system on board, a video surveillance system with cameras, and also equipped with the Tip Tap contactless payment system.

With the latest additions, Florence now counts 47 e-buses in operation, including 10 Tecnobus Gulliver and 12 recently acquired Karsan e-Jest vehicles.

The full PNRR-funded investment amounts to €49.7 million: €35 million for vehicle procurement and €14.7 million for the two charging depots.

“It is a major investment by the Municipality of Florence in public transport and sustainable mobility — we will reach nearly 100 new electric vehicles by 2026. As an administration, we have done our utmost to secure the €50 million in PNRR funds to invest in more efficient and less polluting public transport,” said Andrea Giorgio, Councillor for Transport of the Municipality of Florence. “Thanks to the new vehicles but also to the charging infrastructure, which is essential to reduce pollution. This project is part of our policy to encourage a different way of moving around and living the city, and to reduce polluting emissions. Today we are delivering to the people of Florence the first batch of 25 more comfortable, quieter, more efficient and more modern vehicles.”

“A process is underway which, thanks to national and European funds, will make it possible to have a fleet with dozens of electric vehicles and the expansion of charging areas,” commented Jean-Luc Laugaa, CEO of Autolinee Toscane. “The ability of local authorities to secure the funds and our experience in managing them is enabling this green shift. A winning collaboration for the benefit of the city and the citizens who choose local public transport.”

“We are proud to support the city of Florence in the transition toward zero-emission public transport with our exclusively electric buses,” said Stella Li, Executive Vice President of BYD and CEO of BYD Europe. “This collaboration with Autolinee Toscane shows how innovation and commitment can bring tangible benefits to local communities. The electrification of local transport will play a key role in society’s transition towards greater sustainability. We are therefore excited to help build a greener, cleaner future for urban mobility in Tuscany.”