Optare has announced that Go-Ahead London has placed an order for 17 Metrodecker EVs for route 200 in London. This route will operate out of the company’s Merton garage, making it the first electric route to run from this depot. This order marks the third order for the Metrodecker EV in London, the fifth to date, and will bring the total number in service to 108 by May 2021.
Optare has worked with Go-Ahead London over a number of years in the development of its latest generation of battery electric buses. The Metrodecker EV prototype first saw service in the capital with Go-Ahead London on a five-month trial at New Cross on route 36 and route 21 in January 2018, which provided valuable feedback about the bus and the zero emission heating systems in particular as the trial took place during an extreme cold spell.
Go-Ahead’s trial feedback played a key part in the final design of the production bus launched at the NEC in October 2018.
Richard Harrington, Engineering Director, Go-Ahead London commented: “As an EV leader in London we have built a good understanding of zero emission bus operation. We were pleased to provide feedback & guidance to Optare during their development process and we have been impressed with the production Metrodecker EV in recent service trials. The bus is a good fit for Route 200. We look forward to successful roll out and partnership with Optare.”
Robert Drewery, Commercial Director, Optare added: “We are thrilled to be involved in the electrification of route 200. We see this order as another step in our cooperation with Go-Ahead London and the development of our Zero Emission Vehicle solutions.”
