National Coach Week Irizar unveiled as start approaches
Trade body RHA has unveiled the specially liveried Irizar i6S integral that it will use as part of National Coach Week, which begins on Friday 1 April.
The vehicle has been loaned to RHA by dealership Irizar UK. It will be utilised for a short period by an operator in the South East before moving on to National Coach Week duties. RHA says that the campaign “aims to raise the profile of the coach industry and its workers and to showcase the vital but often overlooked role that they play in our lives.”
RHA Operations Manager – Coach Sector Andy Warrender previously told routeone that activities around National Coach Week will largely be operator-led with RHA support. The i6S integral will travel across the UK over the seven days in question and it will be involved in engagement with customers, MPs and operators. The Association will also be at the UK Coach Rally in Blackpool over the weekend of 9 and 10 April.
RHA Managing Director Richard Smith has encouraged the sector to involve itself in National Coach Week. “People in our industry have shown great resilience over the last couple of years in the face of huge challenges. National Coach Week is our opportunity to celebrate them and the great work they do," comments Mr Smith.
“Coaches play a vital role, taking us on school trips, to festivals, holiday destinations and football matches, but are often overlooked and underappreciated. We hope that people will get a better understanding of why coaches are so important.”
Yutong e-bus 'best in class' after Millbrook results, says dealer
The Yutong battery-electric single-deck bus range is “best in class” in terms of energy efficiency, potential range and charging efficiency, supplier Pelican Bus and Coach has said after testing work at UTAC Millbrook on an E12 was undertaken in March.
Validation of Pelican's statement was undertaken via the Zemo Partnership-accredited Ultra Low Emission Bus testing mechanism. Certification issued by UTAC Millbrook shows that with 422kW/h of onboard energy storage and its air-conditioning unit in use, the bus demonstrated a maximum theoretical zero-emission range of 505km and energy consumption of 77.5kW/h per 100km in the rural phase of the test.
Consumption during the Outer London phase was 99.1kW/h per 100km and for the Inner London segment, 110.4kW/h per 100km. 92% charging efficiency has also been proved via the testing. The E12 used is part of a further batch for Newport Transport.
The work at UTAC Millbrook also demonstrated that the Yutong battery-electric bus range is 77% better in terms of well to wheel greenhouse gas emissions than a comparable Euro VI diesel, says Head of Yutong Bus UK Ian Downie.
“The certificate we have received shows that we are best in class in terms of energy efficiency, potential vehicle operating range and charging efficiency,” adds Mr Downie. “Our integral vehicle is optimised to provide the most efficient operation in service.” The air-conditioning unit maintained the E12’s saloon temperature at around 10oc above ambient during the test.
In addition to their efficiency characteristics, Mr Downie notes that Yutong battery-electric buses now come with the Yutong Electrical Safety System. Among its features is a constant circulation of nitrogen over the batteries. “This means that not only are they the most efficient, but we have established new, market-leading safety standards, too.”
ADL 'global ZE platform' at heart of KMB Enviro500EV order
Alexander Dennis will continue the rollout of what it terms “a global zero-emission vehicle platform” through an initial batch of 10 battery-electric Enviro500EV tri-axle double-deckers for Hong Kong operator KMB.
The order represents ADL’s first zero-emission double-deck business in the Asia Pacific market. It will see vehicle delivery during 2023. The OEM will fully integrate the driveline in-house and, it says, the buses will “introduce a striking new design language reflecting their zero-emission credentials.”
Each Enviro500EV for KMB will carry up to 130 passengers. They will have what ADL describes as “new and innovative features” for efficiency, safety and comfort.
While fuller specification details are awaited, an ADL spokesperson says that the buses will not utilise the same driveline as fitted to those Enviro500EVs already built for the North American market. The latter product, which uses Proterra batteries with around 650kW/h of energy storage, is “a standalone development.”
However, the KMB Enviro500EVs will share key suppliers and components with ADL’s Enviro400FCEV hydrogen fuel cell-electric double-decker for the UK market, as part of the manufacturer’s advancement of a global zero-emission platform. In battery-electric format, the platform will “in general” facilitate both plug-in and opportunity charging solutions, the spokesperson continues.
Adds ADL President and Managing Director Paul Davies: “We are delighted that KMB is continuing its commitment to innovation by choosing ADL for the development of an electric double-decker that will meet Hong Kong’s demanding operational requirements.
“With the next generation of electric bus technology, fully integrated by our own engineers, we are now in a position to deliver a zero-emission solution for Hong Kong’s world class transport system.”