The first Ebusco 3.0 electric bus built by Golden Dragon has been completed in China

On 7 July, the first Ebusco 3.0 electric bus with a carbon-fibre-reinforced composite body to be born at Golden Dragon’s Longhai plant in Fujian province, China, ceremonially rolled off the assembly line. The event also saw the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement between the two companies. Ebusco, which in recent times has positioned itself less as a bus manufacturer and more as a bus developer, has been struggling for years with capacity problems and the resulting financial difficulties, and it appears to have found a manufacturing partner with sufficiently large production volumes in Golden Dragon — a move that also represents a return to the brand’s roots.

Using technologies derived from the aerospace industry, the Ebusco 3.0 with its carbon-fibre-reinforced composite body, incredibly low kerb weight (more than 30% lower than that of its competitors), floor-integrated traction batteries, rear axle fitted with extra-wide “super single” tyres and spacious passenger compartment was considered a worldwide sensation when it was launched in 2019. For precisely this reason, unlike the more conventional Ebusco 2.2 family that remained in the range alongside it, the initial plans did not include production outside Europe. However, the Dutch company’s strained financial position overrode the original concept: in 2023, production difficulties forced Ebusco to bring in external partners, as a result of which Ebusco 3.0 electric buses were already being assembled in China from the end of the year, while the manufacture of certain body components was also outsourced to external partners. According to the company’s 2025 annual report, a significant share of Ebusco 3.0 production is now carried out by contract partners, mainly in China, while under Ebusco’s new business concept, design and pre-delivery inspection have remained in Europe. Golden Dragon has not previously appeared officially on the list of named contract manufacturers, but the latest press event points to a serious commitment.

According to the specialist portal chinabuses.org, which was the first to report the news, Golden Dragon’s modern Longhai plant primarily serves more demanding export markets, so it is no coincidence that the first Ebusco 3.0 electric bus built by the company was also completed at this facility. The symbolically important vehicle is an 18-metre articulated unit destined for a European market — judging by its livery, probably for Métropole Rouen Normandie — which will first undergo comprehensive testing at its destination. After that, the partners hope it will serve as proof of the results of their global cooperation in supporting the transition to zero-emission transport. Alongside senior executives from Golden Dragon and Ebusco, representatives of the French customer also attended the ceremony.

According to statements made at the event, the completion of the vehicle marks the beginning of the latest chapter in the cooperation between the two companies, which has existed since 2012. Around a decade and a half ago, Ebusco began its activities on the European electric bus market with modified versions of Golden Dragon models: the Ebusco 1.0 unveiled in the early 2010s, followed by the Ebusco 2.0 and 2.1 models, all used bodies from the Chinese manufacturer. According to chinabuses.org’s on-site report, the parties are seeking to deepen their cooperation and are thinking not in terms of a one-off project, but of a long-term, sustainable partnership, from product manufacturing through the coordination of the entire value chain to sustained market support. Ebusco is expected to contribute to the success with its deep market knowledge, innovative design capabilities and extensive European customer relationships, while Golden Dragon, which is experienced in implementing complex projects, will provide mature vehicle manufacturing technology, stable quality assurance and the ability to leverage the strength of China’s bus-industry supply chain. Also taking part in the initiative are Gotion, the Chinese supplier of the vehicles’ traction batteries and a minority shareholder in Ebusco, as well as Zhongfu Membranes & Water Technology. According to the official communication, the aim is to create a more open, more efficient and greener bus-industry ecosystem for alternative drivetrains.

Peter Bijvelds, founder of Ebusco, told chinabuses.org that they chose Golden Dragon because, on the one hand, the company has one of the most modern high-capacity plants set up for the production of electric buses, and on the other, it is capable of meeting Ebusco’s quality requirements in every respect. An unnamed representative of Golden Dragon summarised their plans to the portal as follows: “We believe that the coordinated support of European innovative design, Chinese high-tech manufacturing and global industrial supply-chain partners will result in even stronger cooperation. As long as we keep customer needs in mind, take quality as our guiding principle and are driven by innovation, we will be able to put this project on solid foundations, make it successful and sustainable in the long term, and create even greater value in the global public transport market.”

Photos: chinabuses.org