Ipswich Buses and Scania have come together to bring a biogas-powered double-decker to the streets of Ipswich.
The bus has commenced a six-week trial and will operate on Route 5. This route runs from Ipswich Town centre to the hospital and operates every 12 minutes.
It has been developed by Scania with UK bodybuilder Alexander Dennis. CO2 emissions are reduced by up to 84%, and the vehicle can operate on biogas created from waste products such as household food waste or wastewater.
Danielle Devonish, marketing manager at Ipswich Buses, commented: “We are delighted to be given the chance to trial the biogas-powered bus. We believe biogas is a strong contender on how buses will be powered in the future.”
Based on a Scania N 280 UD4X2EB, the Enviro 400 double deck bus is powered by Scania’s OC09 101 9.0-litre, five-cylinder, Euro-VI dedicated gas engine, driven through a ZF EcoLife six-speed fully automatic gearbox. Temporary gas refuelling infrastructure will be provided to Ipswich Buses during the trial by Roadgas.
The OC09 101 develops 280hp at 1,900rpm and 1,350Nm of torque at 1,000-1,400 rpm, and is capable of operating on either compressed natural gas (CNG) or biogas. When operated on biogas, carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by up to 90%. To meet Euro-VI emission levels, the engine employs a three-way catalyst, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and does not require selective catalytic reduction (SCR).
