Skip to main content

Lothian introduces electric bus fleet, Edinburgh

Lothian Buses has launched a fleet of six fully electric vehicles to operate in Edinburgh Service 1 route to reduce emissions and improve air quality in the area. The company claims its fleet will carry 1.8 million customers each year throughout the hilly terrain. The Wrightbus Street Air single deck buses (WSASDB) operate on pure electric powertrain, including an all-electric heating and cooling system, and have regenerative braking allows energy to be recovered to the batteries.
October 5, 2017 Read time: 1 min

Lothian Buses has launched a fleet of six fully electric vehicles to operate in Edinburgh Service 1 route to reduce emissions and improve air quality in the area. The company claims its fleet will carry 1.8 million customers each year throughout the hilly terrain.

The Wrightbus Street Air single deck buses (WSASDB) operate on pure electric powertrain, including an all-electric heating and cooling system, and have regenerative braking allows energy to be recovered to the batteries. Onboard energy storage of 300kW/h provides gives an operating range of up to 210km (130 miles) and recharging the batteries takes three to four hours using a new 75kW charging stations installed at Annandale Street garage.

Passenger facilities include WI-FI, high back seats, USB charging points and LED spotlights. 

Lothian plans to add five more EVs to the service next year, which will make it the Edinburgh’s first fully electric route.

Related Content

  • Masdar City PRT sets record highs in fifth year
    December 10, 2015
    The Masdar City personal rapid transit (PRT) system in Abu Dhabi has just completed its fifth year of operations, setting all time highs in number of passengers carried per month and per year, passenger growth and system availability. Since the start of operations on 28 November 2010 one can only conclude automated passenger transport is a rock solid, reliable and efficient solution for both passengers as well as stakeholders. The Masdar PRT operates 18 hours a day, every day and is led by 2getthere in c
  • Washington State’s Community Transit launches real time bus information
    October 25, 2012
    Community Transit in Washington State in the US is equipping all its buses with GPS, automatic passenger counters and other technology that will improve operations, enhance the customer experience, and eventually allow customers to get real-time bus information by phone, computer or mobile device. The Transit Technologies pilot project was launched on a small set of commuter buses to downtown Seattle
  • Europe will have over two million public charging points by 2017
    April 19, 2012
    A new report from Frost & Sullivan - “Strategic Technology and Market Analysis of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure in Europe” predicts that the electric venicle (EV) charging infrastructure market could grow from less than 10,000 charging stations in 2010 to more than two million in 2017, 3% of which would be based on very-fast charging and inductive charging. “We are awaiting that European governments will forecast a budget of €700 million over the next seven years to build a charging infrastruc
  • Fortum to offer wireless charging for electric taxis in Oslo
    March 26, 2019
    Clean energy company Fortum is working with Momentum Dynamics and the City of Oslo to introduce wireless fast-charging infrastructure for electric taxis in the Norwegian capital. Fortum says the project is seeking to reduce the time it takes for drivers to find chargers, thereby reducing climate emissions from the taxi sector. The partners are aiming to install induction technology, with charging plates in the ground able to provide up to 75 kilowatts of power, the company adds. Annika Hoffner, head o