Alexander Dennis has delivered the first series production Enviro500 buses to Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) in Berlin. When the batch is complete, 200 of the tri-axle double-deckers will be in service in the German capital.
Up to five buses per week will be shipped from ADL’s Scarborough plant for most of 2022, the manufacturer says. The order for 198 Enviro500s was placed in March 2021 after a successful testing programme of two pre-series examples that were delivered in 2020.
BVG has signed a multi-year framework contract with ADL, positioning the manufacturer as its supplier of next generation double-deck buses. The Berlin vehicles are powered by the Daimler OM 936 engine. They are 13.8m long and 4.06m high. Three doors and two staircases are fitted to suit high-turnover urban services and the buses can carry a maximum of 112 passengers.
Says ADL President and Managing Director Paul Davies: “Double-deckers have been a familiar sight on the streets of Berlin for generations, and we are humbled to be the first international supplier of these iconic buses.
“Our global experience as the world’s leading manufacturer of double-deck buses has allowed us to develop a vehicle that respects local traditions and requirements while reducing energy use through our durable yet lightweight construction. We look forward to seeing our fleet grow over the next year as all 200 new Enviro500 buses enter service in Berlin.”
Commencement of volume deliveries of the Enviro500 to Berlin represents further recent success for the tri-axle model. In late 2021 an order was received by ADL from Kowloon Motor Bus in Hong Kong for 72 of the type, while the first of 50 three-door examples for Singapore’s Land Transport Authority – also with Daimler engines – entered service at around the same time.
