LARBERT, Scotland, July 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 the first of 29 BYD ADL Enviro400EV double
deckers to National Express West Midlands, where they are charged
entirely by renewable energy and utilise a stationery battery
system to balance the load on the electricity grid. 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.
ADL is helping National Express to take its first major step
towards a zero-emission bus fleet with the supply of 29 BYD ADL
Enviro400EV electric double deckers.
The 10.9m long buses are built to
National Express's Platinum standard, offering extra legroom for
the 65 seated passengers as well as USB chargers, free wi-fi and
other amenities. An advanced heat pump system ensures that saloon
heating power is supplied efficiently from the main batteries
without undue impact on operational range.
The first 19 of these zero-emission buses have now entered
service in Birmingham, where the
operator's 80-year old Yardley Wood
garage has been retrofitted with plug chargers for each bus along
with a stationery battery, provided by Zenobe Energy, that balances
the load on the grid.
10 further vehicles will be introduced in Coventry in the autumn. The investment has
been supported with a £3 million grant from the UK Government's
Office for Low Emission Vehicles.
Tom Stables, Managing Director of
National Express UK, said: "At National Express, zero-emission is
not the future – it's the here-and-now. Our bus fleet will be zero
emission by 2030, and we're very proud to bring fully electric
buses to the people of the West
Midlands. I'd like to thank all the drivers, trainers,
engineers and managers who have worked so hard behind the scenes to
make this happen."
Colin Robertson, Chief Executive
of ADL, said: "National Express has taken the decision to never buy
another diesel bus, the first UK bus operator to do so. We have
worked in close collaboration with National Express West Midlands
and our partner BYD to ensure that these first 29 electric buses
are a great start into a zero-emission future for Birmingham, Coventry and the wider West Midlands."
"The commitment to a zero-emissions fleet from National Express
is as commendable as it is bold," said BYD (UK) Managing Director,
Frank Thorpe, "and is indicative of
more and more Public Transport Operators who see electrification in
particular as a viable long-term solution for their scheduled
routes. Our BYD ADL Enviro400EV double decker is a proven product,
already in service with a growing number of customers, delivering
tangible operational benefits and providing safe, quiet,
emissions-free transport for their passengers."
The BYD ADL Enviro400EV zero emission double decker was launched
just over a year ago, offering easy electrification for busy bus
routes. Over 250 have been sold to date and two thirds of them are
already in service in UK cities.
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