Alexander Dennis debuts London-specification Enviro400EV
Alexander Dennis has revealed the first member of its latest-generation battery-electric bus range that is to Transport for London (TfL) specification in an Enviro400EV double-decker.
It is a demonstrator and will be made available to operators later this year after completion of homologation and certification. A TfL-specification Enviro100EV battery-electric small single-decker will follow “shortly,” and the builder advises that the larger Enviro200EV under development “will cover all other TfL vehicle requirements.”
The Enviro400EV has been shortened to meet London needs. In that form it is 10.5m long compared to 11.1m in the provincial model. Such an exercise has been carried out to assist manoeuvrability, and turning radii are 10.1m and 10.8m, respectively.
In London format the bus has a wheelchair user bay accessed via the centre door. The demonstrator has 62 high-backed seats, with four abreast on the rear row in each saloon to benefit comfort. With 472kWh of batteries overall capacity is 87 passengers, while with 354kWh up to 96 people can be carried.
Alexander Dennis Group Sales and Business Development Director Ben Werth underlines that the energy storage is warranted for 14 years or one million kilometres, whichever comes first. That will cover two full TfL route contracts and give a major benefit to total cost of ownership, he adds.
“For the TfL Enviro400EV, there is a design sweet spot that optimises available energy and therefor range, as well as vehicle efficiency, length, weight, and passenger capacity,” Mr Werth continues.
“In addition to detailed route analysis, we have conducted extensive tests with our supply partners at the cell, module, pack and vehicle level, which has shown that 99% of London routes can be fully services with our 472kWh battery.”
The manufacturer says that charging can be undertaken in as little as three hours via a DC connection, or faster via optional roof-mounted rails for inverted pantograph-based opportunity replenishment.
Power is taken via the Voith Electrical Drive System, which as the German OEM recently revealed has already seen 1,000 units deployed among UK users. Vehicle manufacturers including Alexander Dennis have lauded that product for its efficiency.
The latest-generation Enviro400EV satisfies UN Regulation 155 on cybersecurity. Although not mandatory in the UK, such compliance “ensures that the vehicle is protected against malicious attack and that customers’ data is securely hosted within the country,” Alexander Dennis says.
Mr Werth adds that while the Enviro400EV in current form can operate almost all TfL routes, a battery roadmap shows growth in energy density that “points towards needing fewer batteries in future to deliver the same total energy at an even better total cost of ownership.”
Stanley Travel takes delivery of its first Yutong GT12 coach
Stanley Travel of County Durham has taken delivery of its first Yutong GT12, supplied by Pelican Bus and Coach.
It is the operator’s third coach from the Chinese marque and follows a pair of earlier TC9 midis. The new arrival was painted in metallic grey at the factory, and it will gain branding for Palmer Holidays for use primarily on that business’s behalf.
The GT12 is to PSVAR compliant configuration and comes with the standard driveline of a DAF MX-11 engine developing 449bhp coupled to a ZF EcoLife automatic gearbox. Stanley Travel elected to have the seats upgraded by Yutong and they are finished in full black leather with blue piping.
Transport Manager Gavin Scott (pictured, right) took delivery of the coach from Pelican Area Sales Manager Amelia Crump (pictured, left).
Speaking about the purchase, Mr Scott says: “Having dealt with Pelican for a number of years now, this is the third Yutong coach to enter our fleet, with a fourth due later in the year.
“During this time, we have gained a strong relationship with the team at Pelican and great confidence in the support, reliability and quality of its vehicles. Allied to the fact that Pelican is a fourth-generation family business and very similar to ourselves in many respects, dealing with it is a pleasure.”
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Asset Alliance delivers operating lease for Ashcrofts' FlixBus GT12s
Two Yutong GT12 coaches delivered to Ashcrofts Mini Travel of Leigh have been facilitated by Asset Alliance Group via multi-year leases ahead of their deployment to FlixBus work on 1 August.
Ashcrofts will take on two routes for FlixBus between the North West and Yorkshire from that date. Procuring the coaches on operating lease has allowed the operator to minimise its capital outlay, with the option to offset rental payments against taxable profits as a business expense, Asset Alliance notes.
The supplier adds that operators taking vehicles via such an arrangement carry out repair and maintenance themselves, and then return or refinance them at the end of the lease term.
Ashcrofts Mini Travel Managing Director Chris Ashcroft describes that as “an affordable way to do things” and says that the approach has allowed the operator to grow. “The whole process with Asset Alliance Group was drama free. I cannot fault it,” he adds.
What Mr Ashcroft calls the “personal touch” of the supplier set its offer apart. “When I have dealt with finance companies in the past, they have typically only cared about your bank balance,” he continues.
“Asset Alliance Group was different. It took the time to visit, have a coffee, ask questions, and really understand the business before making a quick funding decision.”
Pelican Bus and Coach has supplied the GT12 pair in a further instance of both the model and the dealership recording success with FlixBus partner operators. Pelican and Yutong have devised a FlixBus-specific configuration for that product.
Each coach is a 53-seater that is PSVAR compliant, with power from the DAF MX-11 engine developing 449bhp coupled to a ZF EcoLife automatic gearbox.
Speaking about the finance agreement, Asset Alliance Group National Sales Manager Scott Burke says: “It has been a pleasure to deal with Chris, and I am delighted to have been able to facilitate these two new vehicles for Ashcrofts. The team and I wish him every success with the FlixBus services.”
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