Chinese electric bus builder BYD has France in its sights as the European launch market for its battery-powered sightseeing coach. The full-size coach has a 241hp electric motor, a claimed range of 200km (125miles) and recharge time of 2hr 30min. It demonstrated a prototype in Paris in March, saying such vehicles could meet the tourist needs of cities that want to reduce air pollution. 'We'll shortly be announcing our introduction plans for our coach in Europe, with France as our first market,' says BYD Europe managing director Isbrand Ho. 'Many of the technologies we have developed about our city bus range - also with experience of millions of kilometres of in-service running - are applicable to this new model. We are confident we have a vehicle which exactly suits a city's needs.'
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