First bus has officially confirmed its order for the first 30 diesel repowers from NewPower following the successful conversion of two prototypes
First Bus has confirmed its order with new Wrightbus offshoot NewPower for the conversion of existing diesel buses into zero-emission electric vehicles. NewPower was launched last month by Wrightbus (see issue 1633), to be the first vehicle manufacturer to offer a repowering service. First Bus has collaborated with Wrightbus from the outset of the project providing an initial two vehicles to trial the technology and conversion process ahead of the launch of NewPower.
Following the successful conversion of the first two vehicles, First Bus has confirmed an order for a further 30 buses, which will have their diesel engines replaced with new zero-emission electric powertrains at NewPower’s Bicester factory in Oxfordshire.
Collectively, when the 32 repowered buses enter service, First estimates that they will eliminate tailpipe emissions equivalent to 2,100 tonnes of CO₂ annually. The 32 buses will be introduced over the next few months in areas with existing electric infrastructure, including the company’s depots in Portsmouth, Norwich, Leeds (Bramley), Leicester and Aberdeen.
Wrightbus CEO Jean-Marc Gales said: “At Wrightbus, we already have a positive relationship with First Bus, having supplied them with numerous zero-emission buses over recent years. That’s why it’s particularly satisfying to receive NewPower’s first order from them. By using the expertise of our 1,800-strong Wrightbus workforce – including our master technicians – NewPower has unrivalled expertise in being able to swap powertrains.
“Once back in service, the repowered buses will have an immediate impact on reducing pollution and improving air quality in the towns and cities in which they operate.”
First Bus’ Decarbonisation Programme Director Faizan Ahmad added: “We are thrilled to place this order for an additional 30 repowered buses and to continue our collaboration with Wrightbus on this exciting project. We’ve partnered with the NewPower team from the outset of this initiative and are proud to be a driving force in the zero-emission space once again with another innovative solution.
“We are committed to achieving a fully electric bus fleet by 2035, and repower technology has the potential to be a real game-changer in helping us reach that goal as well as benefiting the wider bus industry as we work to decarbonise the sector.”
