Alexander Dennis has supplied further electric buses to Cobra Corporate Services in the form of two new BYD ADL Enviro200EV single-deckers, similar to eight such vehicles delivered two years ago. They are used on a corporate contract for broadcasting and telecommunications group Sky in Livingston, Scotland, offering links to railway stations and local facilities.
The vehicles are owned by Dawsongroup Bus & Coach and provided to Cobra on a fully supported contract hire solution for the operation on behalf of Sky. EO Charging has provided and will manage the ongoing maintenance of the charging infrastructure, which was installed by BES Group.
The new Enviro200EVs have replaced two of the earlier examples, which have been transferred from Livingston to the similar Sky operation in Osterley, Greater London that utilises the remainder of the fleet. While the earlier buses used a slow AC charging connection, the new buses are designed to use DC charging.
BES Group has installed two dual 120kW chargers at Livingston. The infrastructure was manufactured by ABB and supplied by EO Charging, which will also provide ongoing maintenance and its fleet management software, EO Cloud, a cloud-based monitoring system that includes real-time oversight and management of the infrastructure supporting the calculation of carbon emissions avoided. The higher charging speed compared to the earlier AC solution increases resilience of the operation, says the manufacturer, which is particularly important here as there are no spare vehicles.
Steve Dowling, Director at Cobra Corporate Services Limited, commented: “Our new Enviro200EV at Livingston have been in service for a few months now and they are performing very reliably. We have a solid solution using DC infrastructure, which really is the gold standard for electric bus charging, working better and giving us more options, more confidence and more operational flexibility. The collaboration and support from our partners have been outstanding. This collaboration and pooling of expertise has been key to completing the full electrification of all Sky shuttle services at Livingston and Osterley as well as Elstree Studios as part of our client’s Sky Zero strategy.”
Regional Sales Manager for Alexander Dennis Mark Taylor said: “We are delighted to have worked with our friends and partners to deliver this reliable system solution for Cobra and its client Sky, and to continue to support the ongoing operation through AD24. This is a landmark project for sustainable travel options which demonstrates the potential of zero-emission buses on corporate contracts.”
Sales Director for Dawsongroup Bus & Coach Fraser Innes added: “Congratulations to Cobra Corporate Services on the successful roll-out of their sustainable staff transport service to a second site. It is immensely gratifying to be part of a project that not only achieves success but also continues to evolve. This accomplishment is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Cobra Corporate Services team. We are pleased to support your efforts with a flexible package that meets the needs of both your organisation and your clients. Your commitment to sustainability and innovation sets a remarkable example, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration.”
