Stagecoach Cambridge will be the first provincial operator to place the battery-electric BYD ADL Enviro400EV double-decker into service. Two will start carrying passengers in the university city from Monday 17 February.
Both buses will be used on the Citi 6 route. They are not the first to be built to single-door layout, and follow 32 constructed for Stagecoach Manchester, but the latter have not yet entered service.
Stagecoach worked with the Greater Cambridge Partnership on the project to procure the buses. They will help to “inform potential future investment in a zero-emission bus fleet.”
Those for Stagecoach Cambridge will also be the first lower-height, 4.2m variants to enter service. All of the Enviro400EVs already in service in London are 4.3m high. The Cambridge buses have 70 ADL SmartSeats and can carry a further 13 standees.
Says Stagecoach East MD Michelle Hargreaves: “The addition of electric buses is a further step forward in our attempts to keep emissions to a minimum. By the end of 2020 Stagecoach will have one of the biggest electric bus fleets in Europe.”
Adds ADL Chief Executive Colin Robertson: “Double-deckers are the backbone of bus services in Britain. The BYD ADL Enviro400EV enables their electrification. It has been designed to provide a viable operational range without compromising the passenger experience.
“We are delighted that the Greater Cambridge Partnership and Stagecoach are the first in the UK regions to enjoy its benefits and make buses an even more sustainable choice.”
BYD (UK) Managing Director Frank Thorpe says he expects the Enviro400EV to continue to expand its customer portfolio.
“With the success of our BYD ADL Enviro400EV in London, it is no surprise that a major operator such as Stagecoach can see the benefits of electric mobility elsewhere,” explains Mr Thorpe.
BYD says the Enviro400EV’s range is up to 160 miles, dependent on duty cycle.
