Alexander Dennis has issued a safety bulletin to operators of BYD ADL Enviro200EV and Enviro400EV battery-electric buses in relation to a potential recall issue around the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems in some of those vehicles.
The manufacturer says that the problem was identified following “an issue” earlier in 2024. Root cause is still to be identified, and the safety bulletin has been issued as part of “precautionary measures.” It does not affect any vehicles from Alexander Dennis’s next generation range of battery-electrics built entirely in-house.
An under-development permanent fix will be introduced to deal with the problem. DVSA’s recall listing service shows that it affects 1,758 buses produced by the BYD Alexander Dennis partnership. In the meantime, operators have been advised to ensure that the Hispacold HVAC system is switched off when those vehicles are left unattended.
Alexander Dennis has confirmed that the issue does not affect driveline components, including traction batteries and motors, and that it is not related to recent battery-electric bus fires that affected vehicles from other manufacturers.
Despite that information having been passed to the mainstream media, it did not prevent a hysterical report in the Daily Mail claiming uncited fears that affected buses “could see [sic] burst into flames.”
DVSA’s listings show countless other recalls for various diesel bus models over many years, alongside several for zero-emission models from multiple manufacturers. DVSA notes that if a recall relates to a serious matter, owners will be advised not to drive vehicles in question. That is not the case for the BYD ADL Enviro200EV and Enviro400EV
The Mail also quoted FairFuelUK founder and Reform UK candidate for the London mayoral election Howard Cox as claiming that taxpayers will “have to fund these expensive buses being taken off the road.”
It is unclear what Mr Cox is referring to on both points. Neither Alexander Dennis nor DVSA’s recall advisory service says that affected buses should be removed from service, leading to a source close to the matter to observe that it has been twisted by the parts of the mainstream media to “fit their narrative.”
