Electric Buses

[EK40]

I have noticed lately (on social media)  a lot of operators are having trouble with Electric Buses catching fire, in fact it appears one London Operator / Garage have withdrawn all Electric Buses for the immediate future replacing them with Diesel Buses with immediate effect, there is also another operator that i believe only had 28 so far but these are being returned for conversion to Diesel ??

 my question PLEASE, is are NXWM Electrics likely to suffer the same fate or are NXWM Electrics safe from this

it was only one fire btw, with a fairly rare type in the grand scheme of things (optare metrodecker EV) only operated in small amounts in london and york. nothings being withdrawn or converted or the like.

the type NX uses (BYD ADL400EV) has not had any isses despite probably being one of the most common electric types and being in service for nearly 5 years across the country.

its sensationalist media really, just trying to ragebait for clicks as they know people generally arent a fan of EVs due to some legitimate concerns and many random things they've been told over facebook and believe.

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

Most of them have been arson haven't they? 6899, 7508, 4614 etc.
The diesel vehicles make up a higher percentage of the fleet as well.

6137, 6988, 6766, 4554 and 4456 to over the last couple of years plus 4483 

[cris 99]

Plus 4543/4624/4629

[Tony]

I have noticed lately (on social media)  a lot of operators are having trouble with Electric Buses catching fire, in fact it appears one London Operator / Garage have withdrawn all Electric Buses for the immediate future replacing them with Diesel Buses with immediate effect, there is also another operator that i believe only had 28 so far but these are being returned for conversion to Diesel ??

 my question PLEASE, is are NXWM Electrics likely to suffer the same fate or are NXWM Electrics safe from this

You say 'a lot'. Can you name more than 5 in the last 10 years since they started mainstream production 

[cardew]

All I will say is to be wary of "anti-electric vehicle" propaganda.

Especially if it is being circulated on social media.

Very much this. 

You only have to see which individuals and publications are pushing this agenda to know they're trying to start another "wedge issue".

[Tony]

Very much this.

You only have to see which individuals and publications are pushing this agenda to know they're trying to start another "wedge issue".

The only electric bus fires have been:

First York Optare in 2015 (relatively minor damage the bus was repaired and is still in use)
Metroline Potters Bar Optare Metrodecker depot fire caused by human error, incorrect fluid was put in the battery coolant)
Stagecoach Mansfield BYD E200
Go-Ahead Optare Metrodecker in Wimbledon
Go-Ahead BYD/E200 in Putney garage.

so five vehicles, four companies in 10 years, not a lot!

Now let's see if anyone can compile a list of diesels that have gone up in the last 10 years.

I know there's around 20 times more diesels on the road, but there's been a lot more than 100 thermal incidents on diesels in that time.

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

Plus 4543/4624/4629

Oh yeah forgot about them but 4543 was withdrawn way before that batch went from Wolverhampton to YW so I didn't include I only included buses from the lady couple of years when Electrics started to enter service.

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

The only electric bus fires have been:

First York Optare in 2015 (relatively minor damage the bus was repaired and is still in use)
Metroline Potters Bar Optare Metrodecker depot fire caused by human error, incorrect fluid was put in the battery coolant)
Stagecoach Mansfield BYD E200
Go-Ahead Optare Metrodecker in Wimbledon
Go-Ahead BYD/E200 in Putney garage.

so five vehicles, four companies in 10 years, not a lot!

Now let's see if anyone can compile a list of diesels that have gone up in the last 10 years.

I know there's around 20 times more diesels on the road, but there's been a lot more than 100 thermal incidents on diesels in that time.

Some for NX that weren't arson 1793, 2151, 4593, 4601, then there was an MMC that has since been repaired, 4577, then there was the ex NX/McGills E200MMC not sure on the thousands of others but that is some in the West Midlands not forgetting before it 4336, 4355, various Mercs, the Diamond Solo that caught fire in Bloxwhich and more if that I know of but can't remember what it was

[MW]

Gave way to E200 coming into City off Bradford Street earlier. Driven by a certain someone... lol

[Ronnoc]

If anything, GoAhead London need to investigate why three of their vehicles have caught fire in the span of two weeks. Their other fire was an Enviro 400 MMC hybrid which devastated the bus.

[Mayfield]

Report on BBC, electric bus fire inside Putney garage, its states on a letter to all staff by GoAhead it was a single decker BYD/ADL and checks are being made on 380 other buses

[Tony]

Report on BBC, electric bus fire inside Putney garage, its states on a letter to all staff by GoAhead it was a single decker BYD/ADL a

I put that in my post.

As it was the front of the bus where the fire was, that almost certainly eliminates any causes due to it being an electric bus.

Most likely cause, not saying that it is to pre-empt the enquiry, is an electrical problem in the 24v system which all buses have, not just electrics.

[mranon]

As Electrics and indeed hydrogen powered vehicles enter the fleet, when a garage is allocated them, will they concentrate on replacing all the diesels at that particular garage such as the deckers at coventry, or will they be spread about as and when garages are able to charge or fuel them. Also would this mean existing diesel fleet (older ones of certain age obviously will be withdrawn euro 6 or not) be replaced before their natural service life expires or will thy be sold on?  

[MW]

As Electrics and indeed hydrogen powered vehicles enter the fleet, when a garage is allocated them, will they concentrate on replacing all the diesels at that particular garage such as the deckers at coventry, or will they be spread about as and when garages are able to charge or fuel them. Also would this mean existing diesel fleet (older ones of certain age obviously will be withdrawn euro 6 or not) be replaced before their natural service life expires or will thy be sold on? 

Going off their commitment to be zero emission by 2030*, that means they intend to replace the last of the Diesels, which are 2019 models. They'd be 11 years old in 2030, compared with the oldest vehicles at the moment being 21 years old. So unless anything changes, the latest batch of Platinums have only got 6 years left.

*not 100% certain, but 2030 rings a bell.

[Stu]

Going off their commitment to be zero emission by 2030*, that means they intend to replace the last of the Diesels, which are 2019 models. They'd be 11 years old in 2030, compared with the oldest vehicles at the moment being 21 years old. So unless anything changes, the latest batch of Platinums have only got 6 years left.

*not 100% certain, but 2030 rings a bell.

That is correct, the commitment was to have a 'zero-emission' bus fleet by 2030. Your calculations are probably right, the 'newest' diesel Platinums will likely be the last to be withdrawn as they still have a good few years in them.

As Electrics and indeed hydrogen powered vehicles enter the fleet, when a garage is allocated them, will they concentrate on replacing all the diesels at that particular garage such as the deckers at coventry, or will they be spread about as and when garages are able to charge or fuel them. Also would this mean existing diesel fleet (older ones of certain age obviously will be withdrawn euro 6 or not) be replaced before their natural service life expires or will thy be sold on? 

Tony mentioned either here or in another thread that Perry Barr are due to have all their diesel double-decks replaced with new electrics in this latest delivery. While I would not like to say for certain what is going to happen, I would imagine we'll see some of their existing newer diesel double-decks be shifted around to other garages to withdraw some older ones.