Prospect Coaches five-year deal among Irizar UK orders placed
Irizar UK confirmed two major orders for DAF-engined integral coaches at Euro Bus Expo, with Prospect Coaches to receive nine units in 2025 as part of a multi-year deal and West Coast Motors to take eight more i6S Efficient examples.
The agreement with Prospect Coaches leaves those nine initial arrivals as part of a longer-term commitment over five years that will see up to 15 vehicles per annum delivered to the Stourbridge operator.
2025 will be opened by an i8 integral to convey the West Bromwich Albion FC team. At 14.1m it will seat 38 and be converted to the required specification by AD Coach Systems after arrival in the UK.
The i8 integral will be followed by eight i6S Efficient integrals at varying lengths from 12.2m to 14.1m. They will be used on contact and private hire work, and on the recently announced FlixBus duties that Prospect Coaches will take up.
Those scheduled services on behalf of FlixBus are key to the long-term agreement between Irizar UK and Prospect Coaches and they will facilitate significant growth by the operator.
Speaking about the collaboration, Prospect Coaches Managing Director Nathan Hadley (pictured, fourth from left) says: “Our relationship with Irizar started over a decade ago and led to the first i6 integral joining our fleet in 2015.
“We now have 17 Irizar vehicles in the fleet (15 of which were new to Prospect and 14 supplied new directly by Irizar UK). The availability of vehicle build slots forced out-of-the-box thinking, and I pitched an idea to the team at Irizar.
“This has further strengthened out partnership, initially for five vehicles per year for the Prospect fleet. Very quickly that changed with the FlixBus partnership and following some hard work, the current agreement will be north of 50 vehicles over the five years – half of which will be on FlixBus.”
Mr Hadley adds that Prospect is excited to begin work with FlixBus and that selection of Irizar integral coaches to deliver those services “was the natural choice.” Prospect has already received two integral coaches from Irizar UK in 2024. Another has been supplied via Mistral Bus and Coach, while two more via Dawsongroup are due soon.
Meanwhile, the West Coast Motors order is made up of 14.1m 57-seat i6S Efficient integrals for use on Scottish Citylink duties between Glasgow and Edinburgh Airport.
At 3.7m, the batch will be the first super-high examples received by West Coast Motors. They will bring the operator’s Irizar integral coach fleet to 22 and are expected into service in May 2025.
Seven i6S Efficient integrals were recently delivered to West Coast Motors, six as 14.1m tri-axles and the seventh as a 12.9m two-axle example. They are working on the west coast of Scotland and carry dual West Coast Motors and Scottish Citylink branding. Among that batch was the 700th Irizar integral coach to be registered in the UK.
BYD B12 battery-electric single decker to UK spec makes debut
The first BYD B12 battery-electric single-deck for the UK made its debut at Euro Bus Expo in the colours of Hertfordshire operator Uno.
It sat alongside a BD11 battery-electric double-decker and a bare BD11 chassis. The Uno B12 is a two-door example and one of a number on order for use on a shuttle service at the University of Hertfordshire.
The B12 is 11.8m long and utilises Blade batteries, with BYD saying that the version of the model to be sold here has been “tailored specifically to the UK market.”
Energy storage uses what the manufacturer calls “cell-to-chassis technology” to integrate batteries inside the chassis, using a sandwich structure to enhance energy efficiency and save weight. Lithium iron phosphate chemistry is utilised. A maximum of 541kWh capacity can be installed to deliver a claimed range of up to 310 miles.
BYD says that the B12 can carry up to 93 passengers to provincial specification, with twin 150kW hairpin hub motors. They deliver low noise and are lightweight, delivering 95.5% efficiency.
A six-in-one controller uses silicon carbide technology to reduce mass by a claimed 15% over traditional controllers. It delivers operating efficiency of 98.1%. Six electric components are integrated into that combined unit:
- Steering control module
- Air compressor controller
- DC-to-DC converter
- Power distribution unit
- Two motor controllers.
The B12 has a wheelbase of 6.28m and a GVW of 19.500kg. It is compatible with both CCS2 plug-in charging and pantograph-based opportunity replenishment.
Meanwhile, the BD11 double-decker made its trade show debut at Euro Bus Expo. It is understood that the first examples for Transport for London contractor operators will shortly enter service.
The BD11 has up to 532kWh of energy capacity using Blade batteries. It is 10.9m long and utilises the same 150kW motors and six-in-one controller as the B12 single-decker. BYD says the BD11 can charge in as little as two hours. It is also compatible with pantograph-based opportunity replenishment.
Karsan e-JEST microbus makes UK debut with EVM as supplier
The Karsan e-JEST battery-electric microbus made its UK debut at Euro Bus Expo, with EVM to act as the Turkish manufacturer's supply partner here and in Ireland.
Karsan promises a 12-seat, energy-efficient option for low-demand and demand responsive services with a claimed range of 210km. The e-JEST is 5.9m long, 2.1m wide and 2.8m high. In right-hand drive form it has 10 fixed and two tip-up seats, along with space for five standing passengers.
Karsan Chief Commercial Officer Deniz Cetin says that the e-JEST was “born as a small city bus” but adds that it will also suit rural use. Deployment overnight on fixed-route usage in lieu of larger vehicles is also cited as a possible use by the manufacturer.
The e-JEST is a fully integral vehicle and comes with a 10-year anti-corrosion warranty. It has hydraulic brakes and includes BMW technology in the driveline that utilises an 88kWh battery and a 135kW motor. Maximum speed is 50mph and the model can climb a 25% grade.
DC charging at 80kW is possible alongside a 22kW AC connection. Mr Cetin says that Karsan has sold 700 e-JESTs globally. Debut in the UK following a first in right-hand drive in Japan, with Karsan having confirmed in May that it would bring the vehicle here.
On the microbus’s small size, he adds that Karsan “is the creator of this segment” and notes that “there is nothing else like it.” The manufacturer has a long history with minibuses and has hinted that its 8m e-ATAK battery-electric small bus will follow the e-JEST into right-hand drive.
EVM Managing Director Danny McGee has welcomed the e-JEST as a further addition to the convertor and dealership’s growing line-up.
“Introduction of Karsan’s innovative electric buses aligns perfectly with EVM’s commitment to greener, more efficient travel solutions,” he says. “Together, we are set to power the future of urban mobility and transform public transport experiences.”
Mr Cetin emphasises that Karsan wants to expand its global presence further, with Australia and Malta its next right-hand drive target markets. It has already placed 1,200 electric vehicles in 23 countries.