Switch Mobility has delivered six Solo battery-electric buses to Northern Ireland operator Translink. Four will be used on town services in Coleraine and the other two will provide a visitor shuttle at the Giant’s Causeway.
They are the first zero-emission small buses to join Translink and represent the start of work to decarbonise its fleet in the Coleraine area, the operator says. Service entry will be later this summer. Each Solo has 135kW/h of battery capacity, Switch Mobility has confirmed.
Funding toward the Solos has come from the Department for Infrastructure. They have USB charging points, wi-fi, and passenger information screens. “We are working to have completed all the vehicle testing, training and commissioning over the coming weeks,” says Translink Service Delivery Manager Sam Todd.
“Coleraine is the first town to see the launch of emission-free public transport. More people making the switch will herald the start of a new era in cleaner, greener transportation and a better quality of life for today and for generations to come.”
In addition to being Translink’s first small buses to move away from diesel, the Solos are the first zero-emission fleet members of any size for its Ulsterbus operation. The operator plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and operate a zero-emission fleet across Northern Ireland by 2040.
Adds Switch Mobility CEO Mahesh Babu: “We are grateful to Translink for its trust in our products and services. This partnership is testament to our shared vision of creating a greener and more sustainable future for all. We look forward to continue working with Translink and other customers to drive a positive change in the transportation industry.”
Separately, Translink Metro zero-emission buses in Belfast covered over 1.5 million miles in 2022, carrying over five million passenger journeys in the process. That prevented a claimed 1,635 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. The first battery-electric buses will also enter service with Translink on Foyle Metro services in Derry later this year.
