The manufacturer says its high level of charging efficiency means its new electric vehicles are even more beneficial for operators’ finances over their lifetime
Zemo Partnership testing has confirmed a 97% charging efficiency for Alexander Dennis’ next-generation electric buses, helping to add to the manufacturer’s claims of the financial benefits for customers by reducing total cost of ownership. The high level of charging efficiency has been achieved by careful system integration and optimisation, the company says, with engineers working in close partnership with driveline supplier Voith Turbo, battery system provider Impact Clean Power Technology and HVAC specialists Grayson Thermal Systems.
The 97% grid-to-wheel efficiency is the best recorded in UK zero-emission bus certification to date, and the testing further enhances the overall efficiency of Alexander Dennis’ next-generation electric buses, which have been certified with a low 0.67kWh/km driveline energy consumption for the Enviro400EV, and 0.54kWh/km for the Enviro100EV, over the UK bus test cycle .
Alexander Dennis says that the combined charging and driveline efficiencies ensure that its next-generation electric buses require significantly less energy than other electric buses for charging, bringing down their operating costs. Data from Zemo Partnership testing shows that the Enviro400EV can reduce energy cost by at least 14% compared to any other certified electric double-decker of similar battery size under UK Bus Cycle testing conditions, and total cost of ownership should be further reduced by the longer battery life along with warrantable energy throughput of up to 1.6GWh, says the manufacturer.
As real world-conditions may differ from UK Bus Cycle testing, Alexander Dennis provides customers with comprehensive route modelling to anticipate performance on their actual routes; see our feature on page 16 for more about this.
Alexander Dennis Group Engineering Director Chris Gall said: “We have focused on delivering benefits for our customers throughout the development of our next-generation electric buses. We’re delighted to announce a stunning 97% grid-to-wheel efficiency, certified by the Zemo Partnership’s zero-emission bus testing. This will minimise energy requirements and slash costs for customers by delivering sustained savings throughout their buses’ long operational lives.
“This is once again testament to the fantastic expertise of our engineering team and the collaborative working culture we have fostered with our key partners Voith Turbo, Impact Clean Power Technology and Grayson Thermal Systems.”
