Horizon double-deck is among three Ayats models for the UK
Ayats will offer three high-capacity models in the UK, with the Horizon double-deck and Spirit overdeck coaches on Scania chassis complemented by the Horizon Intercity interurban double-deck bus built on the Spanish manufacturer’s own underframe.
A Horizon for Turners Coachways of Bristol was on hand at Euro Bus Expo. Sales Manager Ferran Stoka Vila says that while Ayats partners with Scania UK to sell the Horizon and Spirit here, he will be very close to each deal. Ayats has arrangements with third parties for spares and service.
The Horizon and Spirit are available at various lengths and give what Mr Vila says is high scope for customisation. Including the Turners example – which is PSVAR compliant – six Horizons will be delivered in the UK by June 2025.
Meanwhile, the Horizon Intercity is available at 11.5m on two axles and at 13.4m or 14.4m in tri-axle format. In the latter configuration it will offer up to 105 seats and be powered by the Daimler OM 470 10.7-litre engine.
Two-axle examples will have the 7.7-litre OM 936, with the ZF EcoLife automatic gearbox and ZF axles standard across the Horizon Intercity range. PSVAR compliance will be available.
Two Horizon Intercitys are already on order for one UK buyer. Mr Vila says the model comes at a cost-effective price. No luggage space is provided at the rear, although he adds that the Horizon and Horizon Intercity share the same basic framework, panels and glazing.
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.