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BYD, the world’s largest maker of pure electric buses - and Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL), a British bus builder - have formed a powerful new alliance and confirmed a £19 million deal that will see the introduction of London’s first large-scale, zero-emission, single deck bus fleet. This will also be the single largest fleet of full size electric buses in Europe.
The move follows confirmation by Go-Ahead London that they are to introduce 51 emission-free, pure electric buses on routes 507 and 521, which operate between Waterloo and Victoria. The vehicles will be built on BYD chassis and powered by BYD’s technology-leading electric drivetrain. All 51 buses will be bodied by ADL, incorporating their market-leading Enviro200-like midi bus design. The Enviro200 is the world’s best-selling midi bus and renowned for its lightweight, easy access, manoeuvrability and fuel efficiency.
Go-Ahead London said today that it expects to introduce all 51 of the revolutionary new vehicles into service by August 27, 2016, signalling the introduction of London’s first, large-scale pure electric bus fleet. The move follows an announcement from Transport for London (TfL) earlier this month that it would electrify central London routes 507 and 521 as part of its drive to make all of its single deck buses emission-free by 2020.
The new deal, worth £19 million, includes a full on-site repair and maintenance programme for the term of the contract and combines the strengths of ADL’s Enviro200 12m single deck (with 18,000 units sold worldwide) and BYD’s own design of Iron-Phosphate Battery technology and drivetrain system. The latter has been proven to deliver outstanding range and reliability in multiple international markets, covering millions of kilometres of passenger-carrying service.
The decision by the two manufacturers to collaborate on this first fleet is a significant step. It brings together the proven, safe and long range capabilities of BYD’s pure electric buses (the company has 3,500 in service worldwide) with the outstanding and high quality vehicle design and UK build capability of ADL. The resulting vehicles, capable of carrying up to 90 passengers, will offer Londoners some of the most advanced zero emission buses in the world and provide opportunities for the two partner bus builders to work together in the future for the benefit of other bus operators, their passengers and the wider community.
Both BYD and ADL see this latest development as a major step towards bus operations in the UK and around the world making a bold statement and major contribution on which to base clean air initiatives.
BYD Company Ltd. is the world’s largest maker of pure electric buses. Its vehicles have been trialled by 147 cities worldwide and proved to have significant operational cost benefits, as well as being totally environment friendly. Two of its single decks have been in service with Go-Ahead in London for 18 months and the successful in-service experience of these vehicles – which are able to complete a day’s route service on a single battery charge – has been instrumental in securing this latest contract. The world’s first pure electric double deck is also being developed by BYD and TfL recently announced that five will enter trial service with Metroline in London later this year.
Alexander Dennis Limited, known as ADL, is the UK’s biggest bus and coach manufacturer. It employs 2,500 people and supports a further 1,500 jobs in build partnerships around the world. It is a business that has enjoyed spectacular growth in recent years, quadrupling turnover and extending its global reach beyond the UK into Hong Kong where it is market leader, China, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, the USA and Canada.