Falmouth operator OTS Bus and Coach has reported strong performance from an EVM eCityline battery-electric minibus and notes how the vehicle has built a strong case for further investment into zero-emission vehicles by the independent business.
The eCityline project has been supported by a successful Cornwall Council bid to the second round of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. On delivery in May, the minibus was Cornwall’s first modern electric bus to enter service.
It is utilised on service 60 in Falmouth, with its duty including a morning school journey. That sees it cover up to 80 miles per day. Route 60 passes through an otherwise pedestrianised are, which gave “a clear case for us to bring an electric vehicle to this service,” says OTS Bus Services Manager Craig George.
Since introduction, the 18-seat EVM eCityline has now covered 10,000 miles. Mr George says it is “a great tool” and notes that the minibus has been unavailable on only two days over that period.
“And on that occasion, EVM could not do enough to help us to get it back out working again. Since then, other than routine inspections, it has not needed anything – it goes out each day and does what we need it to.”
The operator has long experience with diesel Mercedes-Benz Sprinter-based minibuses. Mr George adds that route 60 has always operated with those and that a specific size of vehicle is needed.
“We knew the key was to have a low-floor EV bus with good capacity in a small footprint with a high level of compatibility with our existing fleet. This Sprinter is a proven product for us; we know it inside out.
“We also hold the EVM Cityline in very high regard, with internal combustion engine variants serving us very well over the last five years. All those factors made the eCityline an easy choice.”
In addition to the vehicle, OTS has invested in a solar energy project at its depot. That work was part-funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocated through Cornwall Council’s Growth Hub Grants programme.
109 solar panels are installed on one building roof. They power the depot and feed 90kWh of energy storage on site. Mr George notes how as a result, good weather days can allow the operator to fully charge the EVM eCityline from solar generation.
He adds that drivers and passengers like the battery-electric minibus, as do engineers. On further investment in zero-emission, other bus workings cover significantly higher mileage than the eCityline, but the vehicle “has been a great foundation to give us confidence that even as an SME operator, the future of operating electric buses is very bright indeed.”
