Transport for London launches all-electric bus into service

Transport for London (TfL) has introduced what is said to be the world’s first zero-emission, long-range, all-electric BYD double-decker buses into service on a route operated by bus operator Metroline. Electric vehicle manufacturer BYD will fast charging equipment at Metroline’s Willesden bus garage in north London and provide driver training for the bus operators. BYD designed and developed the 33 foot long vehicles to TfL specifications, feature air conditioning, seats for 54 passengers and space for
March 21, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
1466 Transport for London (TfL) has introduced what is said to be the world’s first zero-emission, long-range, all-electric BYD double-decker buses into service on a route operated by bus operator Metroline.

Electric vehicle manufacturer BYD will fast charging equipment at Metroline’s Willesden bus garage in north London and provide driver training for the bus operators. BYD designed and developed the 33 foot long vehicles to TfL specifications, feature air conditioning, seats for 54 passengers and space for 27 standing passengers.

The buses are equipped with BYD-designed and built iron-phosphate batteries, delivering 345 kWh of power that come with 12 year battery warranty. The batteries can power the bus for over 24 hours and up to 190 miles of typical urban driving on the service routes with a single daily recharging requiring only four hours. TfL plans to charge the buses overnight using low-cost, off-peak electricity to provide additional cost savings.

“It’s a very exciting moment that this is happening here,” said London’s Deputy Mayor of Environment and Energy, Matthew Pencharz. “The running costs are much lower and some of the maintenance and operations costs are much lower on the buses. Also, these buses are zero-emission, zero-tailpipe-pollution and that is a huge benefit for Londoners.”
Urban Traffic Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • TfL to launch world-leading trials of intelligent pedestrian crossing technology
    March 7, 2014
    The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and Transport for London (TfL) have outlined plans for trialling new pedestrian crossing sensors to help make it easier and safer for people to cross the road throughout the capital. The introduction of pedestrian Split Cycle Offset Optimisation Technique, or pedestrian SCOOT, is the first of its kind in the world and uses state-of-the-art video camera technology to automatically detect how many pedestrians are waiting at crossings. It enables the adjustment of traffi
    Read More
  • Safer roads need safe systems approach, better infrastructure
    January 19, 2012
    Some developed countries are far from leading the way when it comes to making road infrastructure safe. In fact, says the Road Safety Foundation's Joanne Hill, they learn a lot from what is happening in emergent nations. A new report from the Road Safety Foundation, 'Saving Lives, Saving Money - the costs and benefits of achieving safe roads', makes some startling assertions about attitudes to road safety. Although concerned predominantly with the UK, there are some universal lessons to be learned, accordin
    Read More
  • Better websites build smarter transport participation
    March 17, 2017
    Transport initiatives are gaining traction through well-designed websites. Four European smart transport-oriented websites have gained honours in the 2016 .eu Web Awards, an online competition inaugurated in 2014 to recognise the most impressive sites within the .eu internet domain in terms of their design and content. The four were among 15 finalists across all five categories of the scheme, giving the transport sector a high profile for its proactive use of sites as communications tools for driving major
    Read More
  • Project to develop inductive charging for EVs
    April 25, 2012
    Volvo Car Corporation is participating in an inductive charging project. Together with Belgian technological and development specialists Flanders' Drive and others, Volvo is developing systems and methods that need neither power sockets nor charging cables. With inductive charging, energy is transferred wirelessly to the car's battery via a charging plate buried in the road surface.
    Read More

Highlighted Content