Central London buses a step closer to becoming all electric, after major supply deal
The largest fleet of full-size electric buses in Europe will hit the streets of London in August next year.
BYD and Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) – a company that has an established history in Australia – recently signed a £19 million deal that will see the introduction of London’s first large-scale electric bus fleet.
The organisations will supply bus operator Go-Ahead London with 51 emission-free, pure electric buses for routes in the city centre.
ADL chief executive Colin Robertson says the collaboration will see London become a world leader in zero emissions bus transport.
“Technology is at the forefront of everything we do and this unique alliance with BYD represents a quantum leap into the future,” he says.
“The backing of Go-Ahead is a huge confidence booster and we are delighted to have emerged alongside BYD as the preferred bidder in what was a highly competitive process involving a raft of global competitors.”
The buses will be built on a BYD chassis and powered by BYD’s electric drivetrain and have a capacity of up to 90 passengers.
All 51 buses will be bodied by ADL and incorporate ADL’s Enviro200-like midi bus design.
The move follows Transport for London’s goal to electrify certain central London routes and make all of its single deck buses emission-free by 2020.
BYD Europe managing director Isbrand Ho is excited about how this will transform the bus network in London.
“Working together with our partners and friends at ADL we can provide a truly optimised blend of expertise,” he says.
“This combination will deliver a unique vehicle which we believe will have a strong appeal in London and elsewhere in the UK.”
BYD already has 3,500 electric buses in service worldwide and is now set to offer Londoners some of the most advanced zero emission buses in the world.