Chinese bus maker BYD has revealed the world’s first long range electric coach. Aimed primarily for city sightseeing tours, the coach, BYD C9, is purely electrically propelled. To enter production by the end of this year, the coach has a range of up to 200 km depending on traffic and atmospheric conditions. It can carry up to 51 seated passengers and their luggage. Capable of being charged in less than three hours via mains electric, the bus, a total of fifteen units have been ordered by two Paris sightseeing operators, B.E. Green and Nedroma claim sources. The development comes on the eve of the French capital announcing their intention to ban diesel coaches from central areas. Other European cities are expected to follow. BYD is backed by American billionaire businessman, Warren Buffett, and started building EVs in 2010. It has till date produced over 10,000 pure electric buses, including a newly introduced fleet of 35 eBuses that serve Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport. It is the first major transport hub to choose electric vehicles for its airside passenger transportation.