Alexander Dennis (ADL) and Optare are both celebrating commissions from Transport for London (TfL) as part of the city’s first order for 68 fully-electric double-deck buses.
ADL, in conjunction with Chinese owners BYD, will supply 37 Enviro400EV models, while Optare will supply 31 of its Metrodecker EV buses.
The new order from TfL will give London the largest fleet of double-deck electric buses in Europe, although with 6,800 double-deck buses currently in service in the nation’s capital, this still only represents 1% of the total.
The new vehicles should start operations next summer, with two routes (43 and 134) being solely run by the new electric double-deck buses. TfL has already been running five Chinese-built BYD electric double-deck buses along one of its Oxford Street routes for the last two years, as well as extensive in-service trials of the Optare Metrodecker EV.
Robert Drewery, commercial director for Optare, said: “Optare has the largest parc of electric buses in the UK with a decade of experience of working with operators across the country.
“Optare is delighted at the news of this order, which follows extensive in-service trials of the Metrodecker EV with a number of operators in London and other cities around the country over the last 12 months. The next generation Metrodecker EV destined for London is currently in testing before entering service trials later this year.”
Colin Robertson, chief executive of ADL, said: “So far the Enviro200EV single decks have delivered in excess of 1.5 million miles of zero-emission transport in the UK. This new contract for double decks takes the BYD ADL collaboration to a whole new level in every sense.
“We look forward to continuing our journey of improving air quality, while responding to the operational demands of our customers and the requirements of their passengers with this brand new vehicle.”
