Alexander Dennis (ADL) has launched a further addition to its battery-electric bus range in the form of the tri-axle Enviro500EV Charge for the North American market.
The 13.5m Enviro500EV Charge comes with 648kW/h of stored energy, significantly more than ADL’s battery-electric buses produced through its partnership with BYD. That will deliver a range of up to 250 miles dependent on usage profile and charging strategy.
Four of the nine battery packs are integrated into the chassis with the remainder at the rear of the bus. In a change from diesel-powered Enviro500s in North America, drive in the Enviro500EV Charge is taken through the third axle, which ADL says is a necessary alteration to balance weight. The drive axle is a portal example with hub motors, which gives a fully flat lower deck floor. The second axle in the Enviro500EV Charge is unpowered, while the front axle introduces independent suspension.
Charging can be undertaken via either a CCS1 plug-in connection, or an optional gantry pantograph system – something that was recently introduced to the BYD ADL Enviro400EV as an option. ADL says that the Enviro500EV Charge can carry a maximum of 82 seated passengers, with 53 in the upper saloon and 29 downstairs.
The model has what the manufacturer describes as a “heavy duty” air conditioning system that incorporates a heat pump to reduce energy consumption, although it adds that a supplementary heating system is available for examples use in harsh climates.
The Enviro500EV Charge sits alongside other members of parent company NFI’s zero-emission range, which includes coaches and buses. ADL and its predecessors have sold over 1,200 double-deckers into the North American market since 2001.
