Bus operator adds more electric vehicles to its fleet
First West Yorkshire has placed an order for five BYD ADL Enviro400EV electric double-deckers from the BYD ADL partnership, the UK’s leading manufacturer of electric buses.
The buses are destined for Leeds and will go into service on a new Park & Ride set to begin later this year.
The all-electric vehicles (EVs) are part of an ongoing £71m investment by First West Yorkshire which began in 2018 to upgrade its fleet in the city with zero emission and ultra-low emission buses.
Simon Carlisle, engineering director of First West Yorkshire, said: “I’m delighted to confirm this latest vehicle order which continues our strong relationship with Alexander Dennis.
“It is also further evidence of our commitment to develop a zero-emission fleet in the years ahead and play our role in creating cleaner air in Leeds and other towns and cities in the region.”
The five EVs will operate from First’s Hunslet Park depot in Leeds, where charging infrastructure was introduced last year to support the expansion of zero-emission buses in the city fleet.
These buses can travel up to 160 miles on a single overnight charge, which means they can operate on the network all day without recharging.
Martin Brailey, UK sales director for Major Bus Groups of Alexander Dennis, said: “Our British-built double deck electric bus is the state-of-the-art solution for cleaner transport in our cities.
“We are delighted to continue to support First Bus in its response to the twin challenges of air pollution and the climate emergency, and we know passengers and residents in Leeds will love the smooth and quiet ride of their new buses.”
Frank Thorpe, managing director of BYD (UK) Ltd, said: “Park & Ride operations provide the ideal scenario for the BYD ADL Partnership to showcase its eMobility credentials, both for First Bus and the people of Leeds.
“Hundreds of CO2 emitting cars swapped for just five double deck BYD ADL Enviro400EVs delivering pure-electric, emissions-free journeys into Leeds for thousands of passengers.”
First has chosen the larger model made by ADL and BYD. It has 69 seats and will carry a maximum of 75 passengers. The bus also boasts zero-emission heat pump technology to control interior heating and cooling.
