Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) and BYD Europe’s joint electric vehicle partnership has supplied two electric Enviro400EV double-deck buses that Stagecoach will operate in Cambridge, the first time these buses have been used in the UK outside London. ADL has supplied the vehicles to Stagecoach for a project between the operator and the Greater Cambridge Partnership, supporting an improvement in air quality in the city centre of Cambridge and giving the opportunity to inform potential future investment in a zero-emission bus fleet.
Passengers on the Citi 6 route in Cambridge will be the first to benefit when the new buses enter service on Stagecoach’s city network on 17 February. Stagecoach has opted for the 4.2m low-height version of ADL’s City style body, seating up to 70 passengers on ADL SmartSeats. The 10.9m long vehicles provide room for a further 13 standees.
Michelle Hargreaves, Stagecoach East Managing Director, said the introduction of the electric vehicles was a milestone for the company and supports the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s vision to improve air quality: “Over the years we have steadily reduced the environmental impact of our diesel buses and now 32% of the fleet have the most efficient Euro 6 engines. The addition of the electric vehicles is a further step forward in our attempts to keep emissions to a minimum. Over the past decade across the UK, Stagecoach has invested more than £1 billion in new greener vehicles and by the end of 2020 it will have one of the biggest electric bus fleets in Europe.”
DL Chief Executive, Colin Robertson, said: “Double deckers are the backbone of bus services in Britain. The BYD ADL Enviro400EV enables their electrification, having been designed to provide a viable operational range without compromising the passenger experience. We are delighted that the Greater Cambridge Partnership and Stagecoach are first in the UK regions to enjoy its benefits and make buses an even more sustainable choice.”
Frank Thorpe, Managing Director at BYD (UK), added: “With the success of our BYD ADL Enviro400EV double deck product in London, it comes as no surprise that a major operator such as Stagecoach can see the benefits of electric mobility elsewhere. Our single-deck BYD ADL Enviro200EV vehicle is already the electric bus of choice for a growing number of operators around the UK, and I only see an expanding customer portfolio now for our double deck offering.”
