GERMANY
Alexander Dennis has delivered the first production series Enviro500 buses for Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) in Berlin, marking the start of volume deliveries which will take the German capital’s fleet of ADL double deckers to 200.
BVG signed a multi-year framework contract with ADL subsidiary Alexander Dennis Germany GmbH to supply its next generation of double deck buses in 2018, and placed its main order in March 2021 following a successful testing programme with two pre-series vehicles delivered the previous year. Production has now ramped up at ADL’s factory in Scarborough, and the manufacturer expects to deliver up to five buses per week for most of 2022.
ADL has recruited a local team and invested in office space, a workshop and a parts warehouse in Berlin to facilitate the deliveries and support the vehicles in service.
The Enviro500s for BVG are 13.8 metres long and 4.06 metres tall. Their specification was tailored to BVG’s requirements and while small modifications were made following experience with the pre-series vehicles, the production vehicles retain the three door, two staircase layout for rapid boarding and alighting on busy urban services, and have a capacity of up to 112 passengers, 80 of them seated.
Paul Davies, ADL President and Managing Director, said: “Double deckers have been a familiar sight on the streets of Berlin for generations and we are humbled to be the first international supplier of these iconic buses. Our global experience as the world’s leading manufacturer of double deck buses has allowed us to develop a vehicle that respects local traditions and requirements while reducing energy use through our durable yet lightweight construction. We look forward to seeing our fleet grow over the next year as all 200 new Enviro500 buses enter service in Berlin.”
