Demands on bus manufacturers from bus operators to deliver zero-emission solutions is currently at an all-time high due to the proposed introduction of Ultra low emission zones in many parts of the country. Richard Sharman took Optare’s newly evolved MetroDecker EV for a road test to see what it has to offer
The 2020s are set to be a particularly challenging decade for both the bus industry and its manufacturers. Operators need tomorrow’s zero-emission technology today, so the last few years have seen major changes in terms of both technology and the investment involved.
Optare, part of Ashok Leyland, has adapted to this change, having offered alternative-powered vehicles for many years now. In fact, the very first electric Optare vehicles took to the road in 1993 when a successful trial was undertaken by the Oxford Bus Company, and later Stagecoach Oxford, of four MetroRiders.
So Optare is by no means new to producing electric vehicles, and its latest product to see further evolution is the MetroDecker EV.
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