National Express is partnering with Stansted Airport to trial an electric bus on the airport’s airside gate-to-plane operations. The Cobus 2700 electric bus can run for up to eight hours a day carrying a maximum of 88 standing passengers, and is being introduced for a four-week period to test how it works operationally and to get feedback from both drivers and passengers.
The trial will gather data to understand how the vehicle works in a real environment and help determine how electric vehicles can be used at Stansted Airport in the future. Kevin Frazer, South East Operations Director for National Express, explained: “The switch from diesel to electric vehicles is an adjustment that requires changes in charging infrastructure, maintenance and driving practice. In preparation for the trial, we’ve introduced some new processes and 10 drivers have undergone additional training to familiarise themselves with the vehicles.”
London Stansted’s Surface Manager Steve Mills said: “London Stansted is delighted to partner with National Express as we continue to explore innovative and energy efficient ways to drive down carbon emissions to underpin our focus on the sustainable and responsible growth at the airport. We are proud that operations under our direct control are already carbon neutral, but we are committed to achieving net zero by 2038 so await the results of this trial with great interest.”
