The BYD Alexander Dennis battery-electric bus partnership has delivered its 1,500th bus. That vehicle is an Enviro200EV that has been supplied to Go-Ahead London and it is in service from Merton depot.
It is also one of almost 300 BYD Alexander Dennis buses that the capital’s largest operator will take in 2023. Go-Ahead London previously received the 500th vehicle supplied by the partnership, which was an Enviro400EV manufactured in 2021. When current orders are completed, Go-Ahead London will have 577 BYD Alexander Dennis buses in service.
Go-Ahead Group Engineering Director Richard Harrington (pictured, second from left) has credited the BYD Alexander Dennis partnership as having enabled Go-Ahead London “to make good progress in decarbonising its vehicles.”
He notes that when the operator has around 600 battery-electric in service by the end of 2023, that total will represent around 25% of its overall fleet. Driver, engineer and passenger acceptance of the product has been high, the operator adds.
BYD UK Managing Director Frank Thorpe (pictured, right) has described the 1,500th vehicle as “a significant handover for all involved.” He points to the milestone as reflecting “the benefits of zero-emission electric bus operation, and the role they play in reducing pollution in our towns and cities.”
Adds Mr Thorpe: “BYD has been dedicated to electric bus innovation for over a decade, and we are proud that our pioneering technology is contributing to the success of our electric bus partnership with Alexander Dennis in the UK.”
Alexander Dennis National Account Manager for London Neil Gladstone (pictured, left) has thanked the operator for its ongoing business. “This milestone would not have been possible without the commitment from operators such as Go-Ahead London. Richard Harrington and his team have consistently led the industry by showing what is possible, from the first electric bus depot, through opportunity charging, to the current fast pace of zero-emission bus rollout.”
Of the 1,500 buses delivered by the consortium, the vast majority are in the UK. But smaller numbers have been sold in Ireland and New Zealand, with the latter market including a tri-axle model.
