Nottingham City Transport has placed into service the first of its initial delivery of 24 Yutong E10 and E12 buses in what Managing Director David Astill says is the commencement of a programme to replace diesel buses with battery-electrics as they come due for withdrawal.
Delivery of those vehicles will be followed by a batch of 24 more for service entry in the first half of 2025. Charging infrastructure at the operator’s Trent Bridge depot has been supplied and is being delivered and maintained by Zenobe and it includes smart charging software.
Zenobe has additionally financed the vehicle batteries in a package that includes a 16-year performance guarantee.
Service entry came on Monday 8 April on the Red 50 route between Nottingham city centre and Victoria retail park. The Pink 30 service between the city centre and Wollaton followed three days later. Further route conversions are scheduled.
Specification of the Yutongs is configured to suit Nottingham City Transport. Full colour front destination displays are fitted and internally the buses have what is described as luxury high-backed seating, ‘swept’ hand poles, illuminated bell pushes, and the standard saloon air-conditioning.
In addition, they comply with Accessible Information Regulations requirements. Equipment installed to deliver that includes twin next-stop display screens, with one visible from the wheelchair user bay.
Hearing loops are also fitted, and NCT adds that those have additionally been retrofitted to 22 of its existing biogas-fuelled double-deckers.
Pelican Bus and Coach won a contract to supply the Yutong fleet to Nottingham City Transport after a public procurement process and trial by the operator of various demonstrators. It is currently evaluating double-deck battery-electric buses and that work has seen a Yutong U11DD visit.
A claimed approximately 40% of the value of the of E10 and E12 buses is added after they arrive in the UK during the finishing process at Pelican’s premises in Castleford.
Part funding for the single-deckers and infrastructure is coming via a successful bid by Nottingham City Council to the first round of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme. That has generated £13.4 million towards the £32.2 million project, with the operator contributing £18.8 million over the vehicles’ lifetime.
