Wikipedia

Yutong

Yutong (officially Zhengzhou Yutong Group Co., Ltd.) is a Chinese manufacturer of commercial vehicles, especially electric buses, headquartered in Zhengzhou, Henan. Yutong also has businesses in construction machinery, real estate, and other investments.[2] As of 2016 it was the largest bus manufacturer in the world by sales volume.[3]

Zhengzhou Yutong Group Co., Ltd.
IndustryAutomotive
Founded1963 (1963) (as Zhengzhou Bus Repair Factory)
1993 (1993) (as Zhengzhou Yutong Bus Co., Ltd.)
Headquarters
Area served
Worldwide (except North America)[1]
ProductsBuses
Construction equipment
Websiteen.yutong.com
Yutong
Simplified Chinese郑州宇通客车股份有限公司
Traditional Chinese鄭州宇通客車股份有限公司
Literal meaningZhengzhou Yutong Group Co., Ltd.
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhèngzhōu Yǔtōng kèchē gǔfèn yǒuxiàn gōngsī
Trading name
Simplified Chinese宇通客车
Traditional Chinese宇通客車
Literal meaningYutong Group
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinYǔtōng kèchē

History

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Yutong's origins can be traced to the Zhengzhou Bus Repair Factory, which was established in 1963.[4] Zhengzhou Yutong Bus Co., Ltd. was founded in 1993; and in March 1997, Yutong became the first bus company in China on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.[5] The following year, Yutong opened its ¥400 million ($50,000,000 in 1999) Yutong Industrial Park in Zhengzhou, which was the largest bus factory in Asia at the time.[6]

By 2005, Yutong had a 22% market share of buses and coaches across China, becoming China's biggest bus manufacturer, and had won an award for being the best manufacturer in China by the World Bus Alliance. In March, Yutong began exporting buses worldwide to markets such as Latin and South America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.[6]

Yutong first entered into the electric bus market with the opening of its 'New Energy' manufacturing plant in 2012,[7] and in 2014, opened the National Research Center on Electronic Control and Safety Engineering Technology of Electric Buses in conjunction with the Chinese government.[8] In 2015, Yutong conducted the world's first road trials of an autonomous bus, demonstrating self-driving technology on a 32.6 kilometres (20.3 mi) drive on a highway between the cities of Zhengzhou and Kaifeng.[9][10]

As of 2018, Yutong had exported more than 64,000 buses and coaches, with nearly 25,000 of these in 2017 being either battery electric or CNG-powered.[2] The company's sales and service network covers six regions worldwide: Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Latin America, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. Yutong buses and coaches have been delivered to countries and regions such as France, the United Kingdom, Kazakhstan, Venezuela, Chile, Ethiopia, Cuba, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, Saudi Arabia and Bulgaria.[11][better source needed]

Yutong Bus

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A ZK6129H coach supplied to Crosville Motor Services in the UK

Zhengzhou Yutong Bus Co., Ltd. (referred to as Yutong Bus) is a large-scale modern manufacturing company specializing in the research and development, manufacturing and sales of bus products. Its main plant is located in the Yutong Industrial Park (宇通工业园) in Guancheng Hui District, Zhengzhou, and covers an area of 1.12 million square meters. The 'New Energy' manufacturing plant of Yutong Bus which was put into operation in 2012, covers an area of over 1.33 million square meters and has an annual production capacity of 30,000 buses and coaches.

Yutong Bus also operates a number of completely knocked down manufacturing plants worldwide. A manufacturing plant in the western Venezuelan state of Yaracuy was opened in December 2015,[12][13] and in collaboration with Pakistani heavy vehicle manufacturing company Master Motors, Yutong Bus opened a manufacturing plant at Port Qasim in Karachi in 2016, where buses are manufactured under the brand name Yutong-Master.[14] Yutong Bus also plans to open a final assembly plant in Castleford in the United Kingdom, where Yutong buses and coaches are distributed in UK and Ireland through the Pelican Bus and Coach dealership.[15]

Products

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Yutong ZK6118HGA operated by National Transport Corporation in Mauritius
 
Yutong ZK6118HGA operated by RHT Bus Services Ltd in Mauritius

Autonomous buses

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Yutong trialled its first autonomous bus in 2015 and has produced a wide range of autonomous models since.[9] Public trials of its first generation 8-seat Xiaoyu vehicle commenced 2019 at the Boao Forum for Asia and in Zhengzhou.[17][18] Autonomous buses have also been used to transport workers around Yutong's Zhengzhou assembly plant.[citation needed]

In June 2021, Yutong claimed to have delivered 100 models of its 10-seat Xiaoyu 2.0 autonomous bus for use in Zhengzhou. The Xiaoyu 2.0 has also been delivered to the cities of Guangzhou, Nanjing, Zhengzhou, Sansha and Changsha, with public trials due to commence in July 2021 in Zhengzhou.[19][20][better source needed]

Exports

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Cuba

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Yutong holds a strong presence in Cuba since entering the Cuban bus market in 2005. That May, Yutong exported 400 buses to the country, which at the time set an export record for a Chinese bus manufacturer. This record was broken in October by an order for 630 buses, then broken again in May 2007 by an export order for 5,348 buses.[21] By 2017, Yutong had sold over 6,000 buses and coaches for service across Cuba.[22]

In November 2017, Yutong delivered Cuba's first electric bus, a Yutong E12, which entered service in the country's capital with the Havana Transit Company.[22]

Nordic countries

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Spain

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Ten Yutong ZK6140BD airside buses, equipped with six doors and capable of carrying 160 passengers, were delivered to Madrid Airport in April 2019.[23]

United Kingdom

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A Cardiff Bus Yutong E12 in Cardiff, Wales

Yutong first entered the United Kingdom bus and coach market in 2014 through supplying diesel-powered coaches through Pelican Bus and Coach to independent coach operators.[24]

Yutong would become a major supplier of battery electric single-deck city buses to operators across England, Scotland and Wales through the Yutong E10 and the longer E12. Both buses are in service with a number of large operators, including McGill's Bus Services, the largest operator of Yutong buses in the United Kingdom,[25] Newport Bus,[26] Cardiff Bus,[27] Go North East,[28] Stagecoach Highlands,[29] First West Yorkshire[30] and Centrebus in Leicester.[31] Yutong's battery electric TCe12 coach has also sold to a small number of coach operators across the United Kingdom, with Ember Core's fleet of TCe12s being used to operate a network of intercity express services across Scotland.[32]

Yutong continued to expand its range of battery electric buses for UK operators from 2023 onwards, initially through launching the E9 midibus, with the first examples being delivered in early 2023 to Centrebus for the free Hop! bus service in Leicester.[33][34] Two U11DD 10.9 metres (36 ft) electric double-decker buses, based on similar buses sold in the Chinese and Singaporean markets, entered service as UK market demonstrators in late 2023,[35][36] while National Express Coaches took delivery of a GTe14 tri-axle electric coach for trials on coach services between Victoria Coach Station and London Stansted Airport during March 2024.[37]

Saudi Arabia

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Following a trial of a Yutong ZK6772BEV at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, a Yutong E11, Saudi Arabia's first electric city bus, was delivered for service in Jeddah in March 2023, part of the Saudi Vision 2030 framework towards reducing the Kingdom's dependency on oil.[38] 550 diesel-powered Yutong C13 PRO coaches for use in Riyadh and on intercity bus routes were subsequently delivered to the Saudi Public Transport Company over the course of 2023, with ten of these allocated to and specially upgraded for transporting members of the House of Saud.[39]

Singapore

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A Go-Ahead Singapore Yutong E12DD

In 2018, the Land Transport Authority of Singapore ordered ten Yutong E12 battery electric single-deck buses as well as ten Yutong E12DD electric double decker buses. The Yutong E12s entered with Tower Transit Singapore, Go-Ahead Singapore and SMRT Buses in April 2020,[40] while the Yutong E12DDs later entered service in October 2020 with the same operators.[41][42]

Qatar

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In preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar, 888 Yutong battery electric buses, an increase from an initial order of 741 made in 2020, were delivered to state-owned bus operator Mowasalat (Karwa). Some of these buses, which operated shuttle services to and from football venues and subway stations over the course of the World Cup, were based in a 400,000 square feet (37,000 m2) purpose-built bus depot in Lusail that was described as the world's largest, with space to store and charge 478 electric buses, as well as hosting 24 ancillary buildings on the site.[43][44]

Yutong's involvement in the 2022 World Cup was followed by the signing of a memorandum of understanding in April 2023 between Yutong and Mowasalat, with the companies planning to co-operate on the development of electric commercial vehicles in Qatar.[45]

Uzbekistan

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A Yutong Yuwei E12 in Tashkent

168 Yutong ZK6122H9 intercity coaches were delivered to Uzbekistan operator Uzavtoservis in 2019, with the first 100 being delivered by March and the remaining 68 delivered in April.[46]

Twenty Yutong ZK6126BEVG battery electric single decker buses, as well as ten battery chargers, were delivered to Uzbekistan's capital Tashkent in February 2022, entering service with the city's bus operator Tosh-Shakhar-Trans-Khizmat. These were followed by 40 Yutong T7 minibuses, delivered to Samarkand in April 2022 in advance of the 2022 SCO summit, which was being held in the city.[47]

Yutong received an order for 500 CNG buses and 300 Yuwei E12 battery electric buses for operators across Uzbekistan, the largest export order for the company to date. The first batches of buses from this order began to be delivered from early 2023.[48]

Export milestones

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In total Yutong exported more than 57,000 buses and coaches. Here are some export milestones of Yutong:

  1. In 2009, Yutong exported 175 ZK6118HGA city buses to Kuwait.[49]
  2. In 2010, Yutong signed an agreement of 202 double-decker buses with the Macedonian government in Skopje.[50]
  3. In 2010, Yutong signed a 490-unit order with Ghana, following the 250-unit order signed with Ghana in 2008.[51]
  4. In 2011, Yutong signed a 1,216-unit procurement contract with the Venezuelan Ministry of Transport to help them establish and complete the first BRT system in Venezuela.
  5. In 2012, Yutong signed an SKD order of over 100 units with Ethiopia, and in 2014, Yutong signed a CKD order of over 200 units with Ethiopia again.
  6. In 2012, a Yutong tourist coach has entered the Israeli market for the first time.[52]
  7. In 2013, Yutong delivered 300 LNG city buses to Peru.
  8. In 2013, Yutong signed a 160-unit order with the Philippines.[53]
  9. In 2013, Yutong delivered over 300 buses to Israel, which hit a record high in the bus import history of the country.
  10. In 2014, Yutong got a 1,500-unit bus order from Venezuela.
  11. In 2015, Yutong signed a KD contract of 2,300 buses with Venezuela.
  12. In 2015, Yutong was invited to attend the 23rd annual conference of FNTV. In addition, Yutong was also involved in the “BUS 2025” program of RATP and provided a full electric bus for trial operation, which was also showcased at the UN Climate Change Conference.
  13. In 2016, Yutong signed the Cooperative Framework Agreement on Cuban Public Transport Improvement & Bus Capacity Enhancement Program.[54]
  14. In 2016, Yutong successfully delivered 110 buses to Bulgaria.[55]
  15. By the end of 2017, Yutong totally delivered more than 3,000 buses and coaches to France, UK, Israel and other countries that applied European standards.[56]
  16. In 2017, 500 units of Yutong natural gas city buses were delivered to Yangon, the largest city of Myanmar.[57]
  17. In 2022, Yutong delivered 183 electric buses to Colombia, to be used for public transportation in the city of Bogotá.
  18. In 2023, Yutong agreed to supply the Yerevan trolleybus system in Armenia with 15 new trolleybus vehicles.[58]
  19. In 2024, Yutong delivered 250 electric buses to Greece (Model E12), to be used for public transportation of Athens (140 buses) and Thessaloniki (110 buses)
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Yutong Heavy Industries

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Another core part of the Yutong Group is Yutong Heavy Industries, a manufacturer of construction equipment formed in 2003, and with about 3,500 employees and more than 120 products.[59]

Products

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  • Yutong YT3621 Mining Dump Truck
  • Yutong YT3761 Mining Dump Truck
  • Yutong 952A wheeled loader
  • Yutong 966H wheeled loader
  • Yutong TL210H earth mover
  • Yutong 988H wheeled loader
  • Yutong 956H wheeled loader
  • Yutong YTQH300 hydraulic crane
  • Yutong 6830 compactor
  • Yutong YTQH400A hydraulic crane
  • Yutong YTQU50 crane
  • Yutong WZ30-25 backhoe
  • Yutong WZ30-25G backhoe
  • Yutong WZ30-25H backhoe

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Buffett's China Rival in Buses Says It Doesn't Need U.S.". Bloomberg. 27 March 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Yutong Sold 67,568 Units Buses in 2017-news-www.chinabuses.org". www.chinabuses.org. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  3. ^ "2016年宇通客车销量继续保持世界第一-产业·期货-新闻-上海证券报·中国证券网". news.cnstock.com. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  4. ^ "History YUTONG!access-date=30 October 2023".
  5. ^ "公司简介—宇通客车(600066)" [Company Profile — Yutong Bus (600066)]. finance.sina.com.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Zhengzhou Yutong Bus Co., Ltd". Chinabuses.org. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  7. ^ Jones, Stuart (12 September 2018). "Yutong – straight down the line". Bus & Coach Buyer. Peterborough. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  8. ^ Chen, Jia (11 October 2018). "China's success in clean energy inspires Poland". China Daily. Retrieved 15 March 2023. The company launched the National Research Center on Electronic Control and Safety Engineering Technology of Electric Buses, China's first technical center for new energy buses.
  9. ^ a b Davies, Alex (7 October 2015). "China's Self-Driving Bus Shows Autonomous Tech's Real Potential". Wired. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  10. ^ Metcalfe, John (5 October 2015). "China Rolls Out the 'World's First Driverless Bus'". Bloomberg UK. Retrieved 15 March 2023.(subscription required)
  11. ^ "Zhengzhou Yutong Bus: Yutong boosts the world's mobility with Chinese quality" (Press release). Zhengzhou: Yutong. Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019 – via MarketScreener.
  12. ^ "Yutong to open bus plant in Venezuela". AutoTechInsight. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  13. ^ Shepherd, Christian (14 April 2016). "China busmaker Yutong goes on an overseas drive". Financial Times. London. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Master Motors Bus Service Inauguration Ceremony". 7 February 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  15. ^ "Green light for UK-based Yutong assembly". Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  16. ^ "TCe12 Electric Coach / Interurban Bus – Yutong Electric Buses and Coaches". Pelican Yutong. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  17. ^ "Yutong 5G-Enabled Intelligent Mobility Solution Live Show". Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  18. ^ "Chinese manufacturer Yutong bus runs test trials for its 5G self-driving bus". China Knowledge. 13 June 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  19. ^ "Riding an Autonomous Bus ON THE CITY STREETS in China (Xiaoyu 2.0)". YouTube. 2 July 2021. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  20. ^ "Yutong has already delivered 100 autonomous micro-buses Xiaoyu 2.0 models to Zhengzhou". YouTube. 4 July 2021. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  21. ^ Yin, James (8 May 2008). "Yutong in Cuba". Chinabuses.org. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  22. ^ a b "E12, el primer autobús eléctrico que circula en La Habana". El Espectador (in Spanish). 27 November 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  23. ^ "Yutong supplies buses to serve Madrid Airport". routeone. 29 April 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  24. ^ Jarosz, Andrew (7 February 2018). "Pelican unveils new Yutong HQ". Bus & Coach Buyer. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  25. ^ "UK's 250th Yutong battery-electric among McGill's batch". routeone. 13 March 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  26. ^ Hampel, Carrie (19 April 2021). "Newport orders 16 more Yutong electric buses". electrive. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  27. ^ "Cardiff Bus launches new fleet of electric vehicles as the city's bendy buses bow out". Coach & Bus Week. Peterborough: Emap. 18 January 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  28. ^ "Further Yutong battery-electrics join Go North East". routeone. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  29. ^ "Stagecoach Inverness network prepares for electric shift". routeone. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  30. ^ Peat, Chris (19 October 2020). "Electric Yutongs launch into service in Leeds". Bus & Coach Buyer. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  31. ^ Peat, Chris (13 October 2022). "UK's longest electric circular bus route launching". Bus & Coach Buyer. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  32. ^ "Ember Core aims to develop a national network". Buses. No. 806. Stamford: Key Publishing. 15 April 2022. p. 103. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  33. ^ "Yutong E9 to grow OEM's UK battery-electric bus line-up". routeone. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  34. ^ "Free electric shuttle for Leicester". Coach & Bus Week. Peterborough: Emap. 13 December 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  35. ^ "Yutong double-decker bus on the way". Buses. Stamford: Key Publishing. 14 October 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  36. ^ Deakin, Tim (22 September 2022). "Yutong battery-electric double-decker coming in 2023". routeone. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  37. ^ "National Express first to trial Yutong GTe14 battery-electric tri-axle". routeone. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  38. ^ May, Tiana (2 March 2023). "Yutong Delivers First Electric City Bus to Saudi Arabia". Bus-news. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  39. ^ "Yutong delivers 550 coaches to Saudi Arabia". Buses. No. 823. Stamford: Key Publishing. 18 September 2023. p. 17.
  40. ^ Lee, Joshua (11 November 2019). "60 fully electric buses be deployed in S'pore from early 2020". Mothership. Singapore. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  41. ^ "Yutong battery double-deckers for Singapore". Buses. No. 789. Stamford: Key Publishing. 19 November 2020. p. 18. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  42. ^ Abdullah, Ahmad Zhaki (27 October 2020). "10 electric double-decker buses join public bus fleet". CNA. Singapore. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  43. ^ "Qatar unveils world's biggest electric bus depot". Buses. Stamford: Key Publishing. 15 November 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2023.(subscription required)
  44. ^ Hampel, Carrie (1 November 2022). "World's largest bus depot inaugurated in Qatar". electrive. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  45. ^ "Yutong and Mowasalat work together on EV research". Coach & Bus Week. Peterborough: Emap. 15 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  46. ^ Vakilov, Fakhri (15 March 2019). "Uzbekistan purchases 100 intercity buses of Chinese Yutong". Trend News Agency. Baku. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  47. ^ "40 Units of Yutong T7 About to Serve the SCO Summit" (Press release). Zhengzhou: Yutong. 26 August 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  48. ^ "Uzbekistan orders 800 Yutongs". Coach & Bus Week. Peterborough: Emap. 14 March 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  49. ^ Karami, Fawaz. "CITY BUS تتسلم 75 حافلة من شركة الكويت والصين للحافلات" [Kuwaiti CITY BUS receives 75 buses from China Bus Company]. Alanba.com.kw (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  50. ^ Corner, The (18 October 2017). "China's footprint in Southeast Europe: constructing the "Balkan Silk Road" (II)". thecorner.eu. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  51. ^ "490 Yutong Buses to be Delivered to Ghana-news-www.chinabuses.org". www.chinabuses.org. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  52. ^ "First Chinese "Yutong" tourist coach arrives in Israel". port2port. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  53. ^ "27 Yutong coaches serve APEC Philippines 2015-YUTONG". en.yutong.com. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  54. ^ "Feature: Cuba bets on China to develop public transport – Xinhua – English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 23 June 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  55. ^ 关晓萌. "China-UK electric bus unveiled – Chinadaily.com.cn". global.chinadaily.com.cn. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  56. ^ "Export memorabilia-YUTONG". men.yutong.com. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  57. ^ "Export Memorabilia-YUTONG". en.yutong.com. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  58. ^ Technologies, Peyotto. "Աշխարհը գնում է էլեկտրատրանսպորտի. Տրոլեյբուսների պահպանումը դառնում է արդիական".
  59. ^ "Overview – Introduction – About Us". Yutong HI. Archived from the original on 9 August 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
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