Electric Buses

[winston]

I assume electric buses could also have a longer working life, and be deprecated over more years.

[Stu]

No, they can operate on any route if needed. At the moment all charging will be done in garage.

When E002 arrived I spoke to the delivery driver who had brought it up from Heathrow, which presumably explains the London registrations. He set off with 93% charge, drove 105 miles to BC and arrived with 53% charge

Excellent, I look forward to catching a ride on one when they stray onto the 2 or 3!  8)

Electric buses must be a win win situation, They might be more expensive than diesel buses but over their life span they might end up being more cost effective. Also as the electric bus fleet gets larger the diesel bill will get smaller. National Express should be applauded for this big bold move. The future looks interesting

The diesel bill might go down, but the electric bill will go up!

Again, I have no idea how long it takes to fully charge one of these up and how much electricity is consumed, but still I imagine the cost-savings over the long-term will be significant.

[Busboy105]

What service(s) are going to use the Coventry electrics? Can't be the 11/U/12X can it? They already have Platinums unless if they're going elsewhere.

[winston]

The diesel bill might go down, but the electric bill will go up!

Again, I have no idea how long it takes to fully charge one of these up and how much electricity is consumed, but still I imagine the cost-savings over the long-term will be significant.

@Stu a number of garages have banks of solar panels on the roof producing free electricity, as long as any extra electricity is sourced from a green energy firm, I don't see if being a major issue.

[B.C Driver]

From a drivers point of view I just hope they will have a bit of power pulling away.

[j789]

To offset the increased electricity bill, I wonder if there is a plan to install solar panels on the garage roofs so that each garage could then produce part of its own electricity needs. The roofs are so long so would be ideal for this. I'm surprised NX haven't already tapped into this potential and installed some on garages and then sell the electricity back to the National grid. Maybe the new garages being built with have these on them. Good PR for NX too in terms of clean energy.

[j789]

Sorry just seen Winston's reply of something similar too!

[winston]

To offset the increased electricity bill, I wonder if there is a plan to install solar panels on the garage roofs so that each garage could then produce part of its own electricity needs. The roofs are so long so would be ideal for this. I'm surprised NX haven't already tapped into this potential and installed some on garages and then sell the electricity back to the National grid. Maybe the new garages being built with have these on them. Good PR for NX too in terms of clean energy.

They already do produce their own electricity via solar at a number of garages and have done for a while.

[markcf83]

If they're anything like the electric Enviros running in London then they will depart from the stop very quickly.

[ellspurs]

What service(s) are going to use the Coventry electrics? Can't be the 11/U/12X can it? They already have Platinums unless if they're going elsewhere.

I really hope that they pick a corridor that isn't the university services again. With it being 10 buses there, possibly one of the cross-city services, so they can hit two areas of the city with new buses on one service?

[Jack6101]

I really hope that they pick a corridor that isn't the university services again. With it being 10 buses there, possibly one of the cross-city services, so they can hit two areas of the city with new buses on one service?

Maybe the 13 ? I'm saw I a few years back they was trying to get funding to hybrid buses for the CV13

[CL]

Quick question, will there be any requirement for these electric vehicles to strictly stick to one route?

They supposedly have a range of 150-160 miles on a full charge, so will there be any need to have charging points at the terminus for a quick 'top-up'? I have no idea to be honest how long it would take to fully charge the battery on one of these.

https://www.route-one.net/vehicles/enter_the_electric_enviro_as_adl_and_byd_set_out/

This article from 2016 by RouteOne - albeit based on the Enviro 200EV - claims that "a full charge can be undertaken in four hours". Worth noting that the article also specifies that their claimed range is similar to our new EVs, being in or around the 150-mile mark.

I've yet to find anything more up to date, but I hope that's given a general idea in answer to your question.

[RW]

Looking at today's photo are the wing mirrors the 'new' camera type?

[Mike K]

Is the E400 EV available with the MMC body? All the ones I've seen so far have been on the City body only. Have to say, from an aesthetics perspective I think the City body is ugly compared to the MMC. The Nottingham demonstrator that was on loan to BC was nice to travel on, primarily due to the bright interior enhanced by the glazed staircase and sky lights, but it doesn't look like NX have specified either of those features.

[Jack6101]

Is the E400 EV available with the MMC body? All the ones I've seen so far have been on the City body only. Have to say, from an aesthetics perspective I think the City body is ugly compared to the MMC. The Nottingham demonstrator that was on loan to BC was nice to travel on, primarily due to the bright interior enhanced by the glazed staircase and sky lights, but it doesn't look like NX have specified either of those features.

There is an E400ER it has Mmc bodywork I've put the link here https://www.alexander-dennis.com/products/double-deck-buses-2-axle/enviro400er/