A fuel return of almost 13mpg from an initial Volvo B8RLE with MCV Evora bodywork in the BorderBus fleet has seen the Suffolk operator order a second example.
The existing vehicle is a 2023 example that is used on route 146 between Norwich and Southwold, and that is where the additional B8RLE Evora – a 10.8m model currently in build – will also be utilised.
BorderBus Managing Director Andrew Pursey says that the first bus has returned 12.86mpg, adding that such a figure “is very competitive given the passenger loads we carry.”
He notes that the vehicle “has not skipped a beat in service” to leave the decision to order another an easy one.
The B8RLE Evora came onto BorderBus’s radar after Mr Pursey saw others operating locally. “To collect some feedback, a group of us took a journey on an Evora in the Sanders Coaches fleet, and the first thing we all noticed was the quality of the ride,” he notes.
“The suspension was so smooth; it soaked up the bumps and potholes – aided by the fact it rode on 22.5-inch tyres, rather than the 19.5-inch tyres common on vehicles of this size. We were sold on it immediately.”
The operator was initially cautious of the fuel penalty that may come with a heavyweight bus compared to a lighter model, but Mr Pursey describes the B8RLE’s return as excellent. Drive from the 7.7-litre D8K engine is taken via a ZF EcoLife automatic gearbox.
The new bus will cover around 72,000 miles per year. It and its stablemate will be serviced and maintained in-house, supported by parts from the Volvo Truck and Bus Centre South and East dealership in Norwich.
