The number Enviro200EV’s is increasing as one New Zealand transport operator has ordered 3 for their services.
This article is a compilation of news from the Alexander Dennis website.
From Alexander Dennis
Christchurch operator Red Bus will introduce New Zealand’s first fully electric urban bus service early next year with three Enviro200EV single deck battery buses ordered from Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL). The 12m long buses will be fully air-conditioned and will carry 60 passengers.
The electric buses, to be delivered by March 2019, will be used on direct route 29 between the city centre and Christchurch Airport, which carries over 200,000 passengers per year. Their ability to run all day on the airport service without recharging allows them to fully replace three existing diesel buses.
Red Bus Chief Executive Paul McNoe says: "Using electric buses on the airport service achieves four objectives simultaneously; an improvement of customer service through lower internal and external noise levels, the immediate and long term reduction in local exhaust emissions, reduced carbon consumption for this service and the opportunity to demonstrate the latest vehicle technology to our Christchurch residents.
"We are expecting immediate environmental and health benefits from these battery electric powered buses. The zero tailpipe emissions reduce our annual carbon footprint by 5% or 290 tonnes."
Red Bus is interested in the potential for wider use of electric buses and will be testing the new buses on other routes – including those into Christchurch’s hill suburbs – once they have settled into service.
The introduction of the buses is supported with funding from the Christchurch Agency for Energy Trust and regional council Environment Canterbury.
The Enviro200EV combines BYD’s state-of-the-art battery technology with ADL’s expertise in building lightweight, passenger-centric buses. It has been the United Kingdom’s best-selling electric bus since its introduction in 2016, with 180 in service or on order. The three Enviro200EV for Christchurch follow on from two similar vehicles that have been returning very positive operational results in Auckland since their introduction earlier this year.
Tony Moore, ADL General Manager New Zealand, says: "The Enviro200EV has a proven track record of delivering cleaner public transport, and together with our partner BYD we are delighted to bring this electric bus to Christchurch. We look forward to supporting the vehicles through ADL’s established aftermarket organisation in New Zealand to make sure they will quickly demonstrate the full potential of this exciting new technology."
Also, two Enviro200EV’s have been delivered to Nottinghamshire and they are running on routes 510 and 511.
From Alexander Dennis
The first of the BYD ADL partnership’s 10.8m long Enviro200EV electric buses in provincial specification have been handed over to Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) and will enter service on 4th June 2018.
The two buses will run on routes 510 (Beeston Bus Station to Stapleford Memorial Gardens via Toton Park & Ride) and 511 (a loop shopper service from Stapleford Memorial Gardens). The services run 12 hours a day from 07.00, six days a week.
The single deck BYD ADL Enviro200EV buses, funded by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (with a total of £910,000 funding from the Government and NCC), have 36 seats with an overall capacity of 70 passengers.
Nottinghamshire County Councillor John Cottee, Chairman of the Communities and Place Committee, said: "This is a significant moment for public transport in our County with the first electric buses due to serve local communities in the Stapleford, Toton, Beeston and Attenborough areas.
"These buses built in Falkirk by Alexander Dennis Limited in partnership with BYD are at the forefront of the 'green' revolution in zero emission bus technology and will help improve air quality and reduce CO2 emissions, as well as informing future fleet investment decisions by the County Council."
Speaking on behalf of the BYD ADL partnership, Frank Thorpe, BYD’s UK Country Manager, said: "These two vehicles demonstrate the attractive features of our joint design for use on provincial services. We are anticipating many more orders for this now well proven combination of ADL’s stylish bodywork and BYD’s advanced pure electric drivetrain."
Also newsworthy - a transport operator in Lausanne, Switzerland has purchased 13 of the Enviro500 double deck buses.
From Alexander Dennis
Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) is to deliver 13 Enviro500 double deck buses to Transports publics de la région lausannoise (tl) in Lausanne, Switzerland. The buses will have capacity for 120 passengers, 79 of them seated, and will enter service from July 2019 to replace and enlarge tl’s double deck fleet.
The 13-metre, three-axle Enviro500 buses will serve regional routes which provide connections between city and countryside. With 79 seats, 52 of them upstairs, tl’s customers will travel in full safety and comfort, while the provision of three doors and two staircases guarantees smooth passenger flow. On the lower deck, there is space for passengers with reduced mobility, offering room for up to two wheelchairs or multiple pushchairs. The Enviro500 will be built to a high specification which notably includes double glazing, LED lighting and USB sockets allowing passengers to charge their electronic devices.
The Enviro500 ordered by tl will remain within the Continental European vehicle height limit of four metres. ADL is using its global expertise to adapt these double deck buses to local requirements. They nevertheless benefit from common components and design structures shared with a fleet of over 6,000 Enviro500 in service around the world, such as the lightweight aluminium body structure that delivers world-class fuel efficiency.
“We’re delighted that tl have chosen ADL to supply new double deck buses for the Lausanne region and surrounding areas. Operator, driver and passengers will enjoy the benefits of our Enviro500, which is built to the high standards that have made us the world market leader in double deck buses,” said Colin Robertson, ADL Chief Executive.
The deal with tl is ADL’s second contract for double deck buses in Continental Europe after a launch order for 19 Enviro500 was placed by PostAuto for use in Eastern Switzerland. The first of these have been in service since mid-2017.
The Enviro500 for tl will be built at ADL’s factories in the United Kingdom.
Last year, a bus operator in Switzerland called Postbuses purchased 19 of the Enviro500 buses for the services in Eastern Switzerland.
I do like to see the Enviro500 bus tested on London roads, especially on the express route such as route X26 which runs from Heathrow Central to Croydon.
I invite you to follow me on Twitter and Google Plus by searching for @CLondoner92