Richard Walter continues his two-part photographic review of electric, hydrogen, autonomous buses and other developments from 2023
As mentioned in the last issue of CBW, Zemo Partnership published a summary of the number of low and zero emission buses in the UK revealing that there were 4,572 hybrid, 2,776 battery electric, 378 biomethane, 131 hydrogen and 6 plug-in hybrid vehicles in service by the end of 2023. It was a year when not only orders for purpose built zero-emission buses were placed, but in which much more consideration has also been given to re-engineering existing vehicles – for both electric and hydrogen use. Whilst London’s New Routemasters were built as hybrid diesel-electrics driven by a battery-powered electric motor and charged by a diesel fuelled generator, in 2022 Norfolk based Equipmake revealed a conversion kit for the New Routemaster that could make the vehicles fully electric. One bus was retrofitted in 2022 with an all electric powertrain replacing its existing original diesel-hybrid set up. Meanwhile other operators saw the potential – not only for normal service buses but for open-top tour buses too. In Edinburgh, Kleanbus has begun a pilot scheme to electrify 18 of Lothian’s open-top Wrightbus Volvo B5TLs which will be repowered with the firm’s modular electric platform, featuring an optimised battery size to suit its duty cycle without hampering the vehicle with unnecessary weight which would otherwise waste energy. CBW also reported during the year on an interesting project by Ricardo to re-engineer an ex-London Stagecoach Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bus with a hydrogen power plant.
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It was also a year that finally saw autonomous bus projects come to fruition with a service at Milton Park, Didcot, launched on 23 January, and the long awaited CAVForth project commenced in May with Stagecoach East Scotland’s fleet of five Alexander Dennis Enviro200AV autonomous buses covering a 14 mile route, in mixed traffic, at up to 50mph. Route AB1 crosses the Forth Road Bridge from the Ferrytoll park & ride site in Fife to Edinburgh Park transport interchange with most of the journey being driverless.
Presented here is a selection of photos illustrating these and other zero-emission developments during the year, suggesting that an interesting future is guaranteed for the industry.
To see the full gallery of images, please see issue 1608 in print or digital format
