Stagecoach has ordered 55 electric buses from British bus builder Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL). It is the first order of ADL’s latest double-decker, which they developed entirely in-house.
ADL unveiled the Enviro400EV in November 2022 – before the presentation, all Enviro400EV buses of the same name came from a cooperation BYD. The vehicles marketed as BYD-ADL boasted the LFP battery and e-drive from BYD, while ADL contributed the chassis. Based on ADL’s design, the new vehicle uses NCM cells from an undisclosed supplier and Voith’s VEDS drive system.
Stagecoach will start using the vehicles in Oxfordshire from the end of 2023. They will be the first 159 e-buses for Oxfordshire funded by the UK government under the Zero Emission Bus Regional Area ZEBRA programme. The buses must be made in Britain to be eligible for funding.
The Enviro400EV is a battery-electric double-decker with an operational range of up to 260 miles on a single charge.
Paul Davies, Alexander Dennis President & Managing Director, said: “Our new Enviro400EV has been uncompromisingly designed to meet the requirements of bus operation in the UK, introducing the latest advances in technology, including our future-proof battery system while guaranteeing first-class aftermarket support throughout the vehicle’s life with AD24.”
“We have a positive track record of working with Alexander Dennis to decarbonise our fleet across the country, including in Scotland, where we will shortly be converting the UK’s first cities entirely to e-buses,” says Sam Greer, Engineering Director at Stagecoach. “We look forward to working with Alexander Dennis and our partners in Oxfordshire to introduce these new electric buses as part of important plans to improve air quality in the region.”
Greer refers to Inverness and Perth in Scotland, where Stagecoach is rolling out 100% zero-emission fleets with funding through the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB), as reported.
Stagecoach aims to operate a net-zero bus fleet in the UK by 2035.
Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) is part of the global bus manufacturer NFI Group and among Britain’s largest bus builders.
Keyword: Stagecoach opts for first ADL electric bus designed in-house