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

  • Scania delivers hybrid buses to Madrid
    May 13, 2016
    As part of its measures to reduce pollution in the city, the City of Madrid is to take delivery of 51 hybridised Scania Citywide buses in June. These feature cost-saving and emission-reducing hybrid technology that meets the EU suburban and short distance Class II regulations. Madrid recently enforced tough temporary measures to tackle pollution, including limiting speed limits and banning passenger car access to the city centre if nitrogen oxide levels exceed acceptable levels. In parallel, the Madrid t
    Read More
  • Ticketless travel for London’s commuters?
    April 4, 2013
    London's commuters will be able to use their mobile phones and bank cards for travel across the city, if Transport for London's (TfL) plans come to fruition. Thousands of London bus users already pay their fares using contactless bank cards instead of TfL Oyster cards, which have been widely used over the past decade. Users pay different charges for different London Underground zones and for train travel, so TfL has to decide on suitable payment mechanisms, and could drive the widespread adoption of systems
    Read More
  • EVgo adds second-life batteries to fast-charging system
    July 18, 2018
    EVgo has added second-life BMW i3 batteries to its Union City fast-charging station in California to store energy during peak solar hours and reduce strain on the grid. This energy is then used to deliver a fast charge to EVgo customers’ electric vehicles during periods of high demand. The second-life battery system integrates two BMW i3 battery packs into a single housing. Evgo says each battery pack has a capacity of 22 kWh which combines with a 30 kW inverter to offer a 30 kW/44 kWh energy storag
    Read More
  • Siemens to implement average speed enforcement in London
    September 30, 2014
    Transport for London (TfL) has awarded Siemens a contract to replace existing speed cameras on selected routes in the capital with new digital average speed enforcement systems. The contract, part of TfL’s London Safety Camera Replacement Project, includes the deployment of more than 100 automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras over the next 24 months, covering four main routes across London, which Siemens says represents the largest roll-out of its SafeZone average speed enforcement solution in
    Read More

Highlighted Content