LARBERT, Scotland, Feb. 13, 2020 /CNW/ - Alexander Dennis Limited
(ADL) and BYD Europe jointly announced today that their electric
vehicle partnership, the UK's leading electric bus producer, has
supplied two electric double deck buses that Stagecoach will
operate in Cambridge in the first
use of the zero-emission BYD ADL Enviro400EV in the UK outside
London. ADL is a subsidiary of
leading independent global bus manufacturer NFI Group Inc. (NFI),
while BYD is a global leader in batteries, energy management and
electric mobility.
Alexander Dennis has supplied the
electric double deckers 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 in the UK regions
to benefit from the smooth and quiet drive of the BYD ADL
Enviro400EV when the electric double deckers enter service on
Stagecoach's city network on 17th February.
The BYD ADL Enviro400EV is built in ADL's factories in
Great Britain on chassis supplied
by its electric bus partner for the UK market, BYD. Stagecoach has
opted for the 4.2m low-height version
of ADL's City style body, seating up to 70 passengers on
comfortable 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."
ADL Chief Executive Colin
Robertson says: "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."
"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," said Frank
Thorpe, Managing Director at BYD (UK). "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."
About NFI
With 9,000 team members operating from more than 50 facilities
across ten countries, NFI is a leading independent global bus
manufacturer providing a comprehensive suite of mass transportation
solutions under brands: New Flyer® (heavy-duty transit buses),
Alexander Dennis Limited (single and double-deck buses), Plaxton
(motor coaches), MCI® (motor coaches), ARBOC® (low-floor cutaway
and medium-duty buses), and NFI Parts™. NFI buses and motor coaches
incorporate the widest range of drive systems available including:
clean diesel, natural gas, diesel-electric hybrid, and
zero-emission electric (trolley, battery, and fuel cell). In total,
NFI now supports over 105,000 buses and coaches currently in
service around the world. NFI common shares are traded on the
Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol NFI. News and information
are available at www.nfigroup.com, www.newflyer.com,
www.mcicoach.com, www.arbocsv.com, www.alexander-dennis.com, and
www.nfi.parts.
About Alexander Dennis
Alexander Dennis Limited ("ADL") is a global leader in the
design and manufacture of double deck buses and is also the UK's
largest bus and coach manufacturer. ADL offers single and double
deck vehicles under the brands of Alexander
Dennis and Plaxton, and has over 31,000 vehicles in service
in the UK, Europe, Hong Kong, Singapore, New
Zealand, Mexico,
Canada and the United States. Further information is
available at www.alexander-dennis.com.
About BYD
BYD Company Ltd. is one of China's largest privately-owned enterprises.
Since its inception in 1995, the company quickly developed solid
expertise in rechargeable batteries and became a relentless
advocate of sustainable development, successfully expanding its
renewable energy solutions globally with operations in over 50
countries and regions. Its creation of a Zero Emissions Energy
Ecosystem – comprising affordable solar power generation, reliable
energy storage and cutting-edge electrified transportation – has
made it an industry leader in the energy and transportation
sectors. BYD is listed on the Hong
Kong and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges. More information on the
company can be found at www.byd.com.
SOURCE Alexander Dennis Limited