Transforming Mellor

Rochdale-based coachbuilder Mellor announced significant developments in its business this time last year with the new Sigma zero-emission bus range. Richard Sharman takes a look at one of a series of new arrivals, the Sigma 10

If you have been in or around the bus industry for a long time you will know that Mellor is a well respected name when it comes to developing and producing high quality minibus-sized vehicles that cover a vast range of uses in a number of different sectors, from council and community transport providers to big bus groups, and that is where this story starts.

Strata LF

Mellor is no stranger to producing low-floor minibuses, but the introduction of the Strata LF back in July 2016 was to set the scene for the coming years which would see a decline in passenger numbers and the need for small operators and big bus groups alike to look for options to replace medium and full-sized services buses with something cheaper to run and more capable of navigating rural roads and housing estates with cars parked everywhere.

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The company made a significant investment in 3D computer aided design software to create a stainless steel frame and glass-reinforced plastic mouldings to design a new small bus that would be hard-wearing and durable, while retaining a light and airy feel to the driver and passenger areas.

But above all else, clever engineering meant that Mellor could achieve the magic seating capacity of 22 passengers on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. This was big news at the time and the model went on to receive multiple orders from large regional operators to a number of independents.

Whilst a capacity of 22 might have been the magic number, Mellor was not going to stop there. The larger Strata Plus was capable of carrying 26 passengers, and the even larger Strata Ultra managed to achieve a total capacity of 30. A significant achievement on the chassis used, and only beaten in the range at the time, capacity wise, by the high floor Iveco-Daily based Maxima at 31 seats.

Sigma surprise

 

We get hundreds of emails every day at CBW, but when one dropped into my inbox from Mellor on 23 November that depicted vehicles much larger than you would expect to see from the Rochdale-based firm along with the words ‘zero-emission,’ it was time to stop what I was doing and read the detailed message that would lead to this very feature.

But this is not CBW’s first introduction to the Sigma. Just weeks after the initial announcement I was surprised to find that the Sigma didn’t just exist as an artists impression; the first two pre-production models, the Sigma 7 and 10, were already in the country and undergoing testing at Millbrook.

We received an invitation to go and look at the vehicles to see what we thought, although a test drive was not possible at that point. I thought that I knew the perfect candidate for the visit, a man who is not only is in charge of a fleet of Mellor Stratas, but at the time, thought that electric would be complex transition for the coastal fleet of minibuses he runs at OTS in Falmouth under contract to Transport for Cornwall.

Reading Craig George’s write up after the event, I got the feeling that he left feeling a lot more confident about the proposition of transitioning to a zero-emission fleet in the future, plus the fact that he would be able to do this by sticking with the same manufacturer and with the backup that he already enjoys from Mellor if the product is right for his fleet in the future.

Mellor’s Bus Division Sales Director Mark Clissett is only too aware of how significant the development of the Sigma range is. “Here we are at the start of a new chapter in the history of Mellor,” he said. “Our new Sigma range is a redefinition of the zero-emission bus offering, and one which will see Mellor establish itself as a major player with fleet customers, both in the UK and in overseas markets.

“With six new base models, and a range of options, we are sticking to our size- and cost-appropriate principles and, more than any other manufacturer, able to offer customers an exacting BEV solution for their precise requirements. We’re really excited with the prospect of shaking-up the market with this fantastic new product. Sigma not only marks a turning point for Mellor, it is also the most important product introduction of its kind from any bus builder in the last decade.”

Strong UK order book

By the July of 2022 Mellor said that it had seen strong demand for the whole Sigma line-up, which comprises six models with overall lengths from seven to 12 metres in ‘city’ and ‘rural’ specifications, and with an array of specification options that broaden the range to more than 20 variants.

Sales secured through competitive tenders include Sigma 7 high-floor buses for East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Aberdeen City Council and Pinewoods Holiday Park, Sigma 7 and Sigma 9 high-floor buses for the London Borough of Islington, Sigma 8 buses for Shuttlebus and Sigma 10 buses for Dumfries and Galloway Council. With configurability claimed to be a key appeal for Sigma customers, Mellor worked with the London Borough of Islington to develop a high-floor version of the Sigma platform for use on specific routes with ambulance-style doors at the rear.

Mark said: “The demand we’ve seen for Sigma since its launch at the end of last year and following the customer demonstration days at Millbrook in March has been very encouraging. The breadth and diversity of the orders we’ve received so far is testament to the need for a model like Sigma in the marketplace.”

This was further underlined when it was announced that Whippet had placed an order with Mellor for the first Sigma 12 models. Having operated the ‘Universal’ bus service since 2016, the 103-year-old Cambridgeshire operator recently secured a new eight-year contract with the University of Cambridge to provide a fully electric bus service. Whippet’s parent company Ascendal Group already has experience of such solutions in London and Hong Kong, and will be supporting Whippet’s local team to ensure a smooth deployment of the University of Cambridge’s nine new zero-emission buses, which will be the first of that type to enter service in the UK market. It is also believed they will be the very first electric buses in the UK to be fitted with guide wheels.

In service in Europe

Mellor has not sat on its hands with this model, and kudos must be given to the management team for already having Sigma 7s in service in Sweden with various additional features fitted at the request of the operator, such as passenger counters and a roof-mounted diesel heater to deal with the extreme cold weather there.

In a further move to increase Mellor’s international presence, it has appointed Jebsen & Jessen Industrial Solutions as its approved distributor for the Sigma range and the Orion-E minibus in Germany and Austria. Headquartered in Hamburg, Jebsen & Jessen operates a network of customer facilities that Mellor believes are capable of delivering against its high service standards to provide its customers with a ‘holistic e-mobility retail experience.’ Operators will benefit from a route and service analysis, and assistance in selecting the most appropriate vehicle specification for their needs.

Group Business Development Director Gustavo Marqueta explained: “Jebsen & Jessen’s outstanding reputation in the Germany, Austria and Switzerland region will be of great benefit to Mellor as we continue to grow our share of the international zero-emission bus market. We look forward to introducing our size- and cost-appropriate electric bus portfolio to new public and private transport companies in this growing region.”

Martin Gruber, Managing Director and Head of Transportation and e-Mobility at Jebsen & Jessen, was equally positive: “We are delighted to work with Mellor and its team on future e-mobility projects and are proud to add electric midi and mini bus solutions to our product portfolio.”

Transforming Rochdale

Aside from the vehicle I was going to test drive, the other thing that amazed me was the transformation at Mellor’s Rochdale manufacturing facility. I have been here a couple of times; in fact the last time I was here, a regional operator from the midlands was in the process of taking a second batch of Strata LFs, and a large batch of Volkswagen Crafter-based Tucanas was going through production for Transport for London’s Dial-a-Ride scheme. My visit this time was very different. The building that was packed with London red Tucanas was now filled with Sigma 7s and 8s, all lined up and in various stages of fit and finish.

It is important at this point to underline the fact that the Sigma is a Mellor concept and design throughout, and whilst the rolling vehicle arrives from Mellor’s overseas engineering partner in a low-cost economy, that has been done for a reason. The savings made in production mean that the vehicle’s price is lower than that of its competitors.

The exterior painting and interior fit and finish, which includes the door system, flooring, CCTV, seating and handrails is all done at Mellor’s premises. This is where the other advantage can be seen; the finishing of the vehicle is done by a small team of experienced coachbuilders, rather than a hundred-odd different people, ensuring a consistent fit and finish on every vehicle that passes through the Rochdale manufacturing facility.

Vehicle range

The headline fact about electric buses is normally the range, but Mellor has taken a different approach as Sales Director Mark Clissett explained: “The range of the Sigma 10 is around 160 to 170 miles, with 26% brake regeneration on a vehicle cycle, dependent on the route. We have had no operators say to us that the range is not enough. The average battery capacity of a single-decker is now 300kWh and an average double-decker is 400kWh. We do not understand that thought process. We have done a lot of work with Zenobē, and research has found that bus operators have been specifying the maximum amount of batteries a vehicle can carry, only to find that vehicles have been returning to the depot with a state of charge of 50%. So they are carrying all that weight around, and then having batteries that never fully discharge, which is not good for them.

“This story about energy and well-to-wheel is interesting, but it goes beyond that for us. It is about the total cost of ownership, or TCO, which isn’t just maintenance. If you’re using less energy, that lowers your TCO. The fact that the Sigma range can also be fast charged in three hours also means that there can be a lower cost on charging infrastructure as not every bus needs a charger. Vehicles coming back to the depot can be changed around after the first ones have rapid charged,” enthused Mark.

First impressions

Whilst I had seen the Sigma 7, 8 and 10 at Euro Bus Expo at the NEC, this was my first chance to have a really good look at the Sigma 10. But before I had chance to have a detailed look at the interior and exterior, it was time to take it out on the roads around Rochdale. My first trip was to be as a passenger to the outskirts of the town, Mellor PCV driver Steven Slater, was waiting for me, and I was joined on the journey by Mark, as well as bus division Managing Director Morgan Clissett and Area Sales Manager Jane Dransfield.

The first thing you notice on boarding the Sigma 10 is the quality, from the flooring to the roof coving and everything in between. Every material used appeared to have been selected for its durability and quality look. Taking a seat at the rear of the vehicle on one of the leather-covered Lazzerini seats (other brands can be specified by the operator), we departed the Rochdale premises as Steve navigated the tight residential streets that surround the Mellor facility. The first thing you notice is just how quiet the Sigma 10 is once it gets moving, and aside from the indicators and the various noises from the MobilEye system, the body was silent, which in the year 2022 is an impressive feat.

Bus manufacturers in the main may have had the benefit of the ICE (internal combustion engines) to mask the sounds of any creaking, bangs and rattles from the bodywork, but this new zero-emission electric generation of buses really means that they have had to up their game when it comes to ensuring that everything possible has been done so that nothing is rubbing or knocking together. Some manufacturers have achieved this, some haven’t, but it was clear from being a passenger that Mellor has put a lot of effort into ensuring that the interior fixtures and fittings are deadly silent.

The test drive was undertaken during December, so it was not exactly warm outside. Steve had set the interior heating to maximum on departure from Rochdale. This blows air down from vents in the cove panels and a large vent below the air-conditioning unit in the centre of the vehicle. Around 2 minutes into the journey the vents starting blowing hot air into the saloon, and within 5 minutes the whole of the vehicle was warm and toasty. When it comes to the summer, there is no worry there either, full vehicle air-conditioning is fitted as standard, and if desired by the operator, the saloon windows can be locked to ensure maximum cooling of the vehicle from the system.

In terms of ride quality throughout the test drive, the air suspension provided a smooth ride, and with the vehicle being so quiet, you could hear the rear suspension being adjusted as it smoothed out any potholes in the road.

A driver’s bus

Moving from the back seat to the front seat, it was time to take the Sigma 10 out into the country to stretch its legs, but prior to that there was some urban driving to do.

The cab is quite generous in terms of size, and is fitted with an air-suspended ISRI driver’s seat with a three-point seatbelt. Looking at my surroundings, I was impressed with the high quality dash binnacle and the Mellor-branded steering wheel. Be under no illusion, this is not a product that has been produced from the parts bin. The dashboard quality itself could put some of the larger manufacturers to shame, in terms of the materials used and binnacle quality.

Standard buttons are used for the vast majority of functions, from the door to the headlights switch – which also has an auto option as standard – and the vehicle’s demister and heating controls, most of which are mounted above the driver’s head. Of note is that the driver benefits from multiple air vents, and the cab area has its own air-conditioning system.

In terms of touchscreen technology, there is a panel to the left of the dash binnacle that operates the vehicle’s interior lights, which have multiple settings and a choice of white and blue. A powered sunblind is fitted, which covers the entire width of the windscreen and is Mellor-branded, as is the handy cab side window sunblind. The sliding signalling window is large in size and is manually operated.

The ignition/power start button is of high quality, and is immediately next to the gear selector buttons under the cab window. All set up in the cab I closed the electrically-operated Ventura Systems doors, and went to pull away. All around visibility from the cab is great and the standard, rather than electronic, mirrors are well positioned.

Releasing the handbrake you get a satisfying air release noise; look out for the test drive on our YouTube channel from 22 December to see what I mean. Pulling out of the bus stop gave instant power from the Dana MB 130B-E motor, powered by CATL 210.6kWh batteries, giving the vehicle 160 miles of range, and that is without factoring brake regeneration (an extended-range version with 252kWh is an option on the Sigma 10). There were a few roundabouts to negotiate before departing Rochdale, and the ZF RL55EC front axle and steering took them all in its stride; it is very light and super precise in operation.

Despite battery regeneration also occurring when braking, the Sigma 10 has really been designed as a driver’s vehicle, and you can tell that as the brakes are not sending you through the windscreen on the slightest tap. They were smooth but effective.

Heading out of Rochdale there are some substantial hills to climb before reaching the countryside and the 50mph limit. It doesn’t take much effort for the Sigma 10 to get up these hills, with it maintaining 25-28 miles per hour easily. Once on the open road I had the chance to to get my foot down. The Sigma 10 has been limited to 75kph (46mph) but it was quick to get there. Sitting just under the 50mph speed limit of the road, the Sigma 10’s Michelin 285/70 R19.5 tyres gripped the road well, and taking the corners at speed found no body roll; the number of batteries seemed perfectly balanced between the roof and the power bay.

The Sigma 10 has an unladen weight of 16,500kgs and can seat 35 passengers plus 32 standing with no wheelchair users, or 33 seated with 29 standing and 1 wheelchair user in its 10,250mm-long body.

It is also worth noting that from a driver’s point of view, Mellor has tried to make the driver’s life easy when it comes to the vehicle check. The WheelySafe system is fitted as standard and this checks for wheel torque and tyre pressure. Three visual indicator lights are fitted behind the nearside rear axle that go out once the vehicle pulls away; the top one indicating state of charge, the middle one indicating battery coolant level, and the third indicates screen wash level.

The bus the industry needs?

Whilst you may think that the Sigma range has magically appeared out of nowhere, this is certainly not the case. Mellor has been working on this project for the last few years and did a great job of keeping it quiet.

This has given it the ability to launch six new models in one go, and in some cases, Mellor has beaten some of the major manufacturers to it in terms of the vehicle sizes that have been introduced, and that is really going to be the key to the Sigma’s success; operators do not have to wait for a solution, it is already there in the metal and can be ordered and delivered in a short time frame, with stock vehicles also coming very soon.

Mellor says it is so confident in the product that a 15-year structural warranty also comes as standard. The company sees itself as a disruptor to the electric bus market, and having seen and tested the product I think that is justified.

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