Alexander Dennis and Wrightbus gain technology grant funding
UK bus manufacturers Alexander Dennis and Wrightbus are each part of separate projects that have been awarded grant funding for technology development. They will advance electric repower and autonomous driving, respectively.
Alexander Dennis via its AD Repower venture in partnership with KleanDrive will receive money from the DRIVE35 Demonstrate programme. It falls under the Department for Business and Trade (DfBT) and is delivered via the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) UK.
That support will enable the parties to continue to develop what Alexander Dennis says are “modular electric powertrains” to repower diesel buses to zero-emission. A first prototype conversion, of an Alexander Dennis Enviro400, is due for completion in 2026.
Repower work under the arrangement is built around a ‘plug and play’ approach for the electric drivetrain and software.
A skid system incorporates a Vehicle Electrical Drive System from Driventic and power electronics, with no post-conversion compromise on the Enviro400 interior layout and “allowing existing buses’ full seating capacity to be retained,” says the bus manufacturer.
APC information on the wider scheme notes that 18 projects will share over £29.1 million via the DRIVE35 Demonstrate programme. That includes £14.3 million of grants, matched by industry funding.
Meanwhile, Wrightbus is lead partner in ASPIRE. It is one of eight projects selected under the Feasibility Studies 2 competition that is part of the £150 million Connected and Automated Mobility Pathfinder programme, which also falls under DfBT in collaboration with Innovate UK and Zenzic.
Wrightbus is joined by academic partners Loughborough University and Queen’s University Belfast on the project.
It will examine how self-driving vehicles could help to solve what the bus manufacturer says is “a critical UK mobility challenge – addressing structural driver shortages, rising operational costs, and the need to maintain connectivity in communities while meeting zero-emission mandates.”
The collaboration is not pursuing immediate full-scale autonomy, but is adopting a phased, evidence-driven approach to test what works, measure results, and use learnings to make introduction of self-driving passenger services in the future safer and easier.
Speaking about the work, Wrightbus Head of Research and Data Analytics Dr Andy Harris says: “Driver shortages and the pressure to decarbonise are the two biggest challenges facing UK public transport operators today.
“ASPIRE gives us the opportunity to explore how autonomous technology, combined with our world-leading zero-emission vehicles, could offer a genuinely transformative solution not just for operators, but for the communities we serve.”
Dr Harris adds that the funding “reflects the confidence the UK government has in Wrightbus as an innovative leader” and that the manufacturer is proud to work alongside its academic partners “to develop a credible, commercial business case for the future of autonomous public transport.”
Coach Services adds its first 10.8m Volvo B8RLE MCV Evoras
Coach Services of Thetford has taken delivery of a further two Volvo B8RLEs with MCV Evora bodywork, supplied by Volvo Bus UK and Ireland.
While they join earlier examples in the Norfolk fleet, the latest vehicles are the first 10.8m variants to be purchased. The existing models are all at 12m.
Every new single-deck bus bought by Coach Services over the last five years has been the Volvo MCV combination. Director Rob Crawford says that the type is favoured largely due to reliability.
“This time we have opted for a shorter length as it gives us better manoeuvrability – something our drivers appreciate on the narrow routes they operate on,” he adds.
Usage for the latest pair will be on the T1, T2 and T3 Thetford Rangers services. They run through the town and its surrounding forest corridor. Suitable branding is carried, including a stag logo to represent that landscape. Each bus has 35 seats and an overall capacity of 84.
Support from Volvo Truck and Bus Centre Thetford was another positive, says Mr Crawford. The operator is close to that dealership, with three further locations within 30 miles.
Such coverage “is incredibly convenient for parts supply or getting technical assistance when needed,” he continues. “That level of support is a big part of why the partnership has remained so strong – it makes it far easier to provide a consistent, dependable service for our passengers.”
Power in the B8RLE Evora is from the 7.7-litre D8K engine coupled to a ZF EcoLife automatic gearbox.
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Don's of Dunmow welcomes a new Van Hool TDX27 Astromega
Don’s of Dunmow has taken delivery of a Van Hool TDX27 Astromega double-deck, supplied by VDL Bus and Coach UK.
It is 14.2m long and that has 91 Kiel 1020 seats with three-point belts and USB charging points. A toilet is fitted on the lower deck and the vehicle also comes with a boiler, a fridge, an entertainment system including a DVD player and twin monitors, and a 3kW inverter with plug sockets at the stairs and in a cupboard.
Additional starter batteries are also included, along with a crew sleeping cabin in the luggage bay with a foldable wall. At the rear are ski box fitting points and a connector for associated electrics.
A camera monitoring system in lieu of mirrors is utilised, with the vehicle having been to AD Coach Systems for fitment of a 360-degree bird's eye system to complement it.
PSVAR compliance is specified, with a removable pedestal to permit carriage of a wheelchair user. Extra side marker and pavement lights are part of the package, along with tail swing cameras at the rear that are activated when the turn signals are applied.
Power is from a DAF MX-13 engine developing 530bhp driving through an Allison T525R six-speed automatic gearbox. The coach was handed over to Don’s of Dunmow Director Steve Harvey (pictured, right) by sales representative Robert White (pictured, left). A cherished registration mark and the Essex operator's distinctive livery complete the visual effect.
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