Image: WrightbusAccording to Wrightbus, the order follows an open tender process in which Citybus evaluated technical capability and commercial value. The deal is valued at approximately £7 million.The 12-metre StreetDeck Electroliners will be produced at Wrightbus’s manufacturing facility in Malaysia as part of the company’s expansion strategy in the Asia-Pacific region. The buses are designed to carry up to 130 passengers, including 82 seated passengers, and offer an operating range of up to 300 kilometres.The contract comes 23 years after Wrightbus vehicles first entered service in Hong Kong and represents a further step in the company’s international expansion of its zero-emission portfolio. Jo Bamford, Executive Chairman of Wrightbus, described the agreement as ‘a hugely significant order for Wrightbus and a major milestone for the new 6×2 StreetDeck Electroliner.’“The StreetDeck has become the leading double-deck bus in the UK and we are proud to now be bringing that proven technology and operational experience to customers in Asia,” Bamford said. He added that more than 3,000 Wrightbus zero-emission buses are currently in operation worldwide, collectively covering more than 200 million kilometres.Bamford also highlighted the role of the company’s Malaysian production facility in supporting international growth. “By producing these vehicles at our Malaysia facility, we are able to support customers across Asia more effectively while also freeing capacity in our Ballymena factory, as global demand for zero-emission transport continues to grow,” he said.Daniel Castro, Regional Director Asia Pacific for Wrightbus, said the agreement represented an important development for the manufacturer’s regional activities. “Securing this contract with Citybus represents a key step in Wrightbus’s expansion into Asia Pacific,” Castro said. “Hong Kong is one of the most demanding double-deck bus markets in the world, and this order reflects confidence in both our product and our ability to deliver and support fleets at scale in the region.”These will not be the first electric double deckers from a UK company on Hong Kong’s streets. Just last year, Hong Kong’s public transport company, the MTR Corporation, took delivery of 35 Enviro500EV from Alexander Dennis.wrightbus.com, linkedin.com
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