24 new buses, which will run zero emissions through Brighton city centre, have started arriving at Brighton & Hove Buses, the first one being delivered on Clean Air Day (Thurs 8 Oct).
These new Enviro400ER double decker buses are extended range electric buses and are set to run in zero-emissions mode every time they enter the city’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), a practice called geofencing. The bus also goes into zero-emissions mode whenever it stops.
The first batch of 30 Enviro400ER buses went on the city’s Route 5 in October 2019 and this second group will go on another one of the city’s busiest routes, Route 1, covering Whitehawk, Hove, Portslade & Mile Oak. The 24 buses are expected to all be rolled out by the end of November 2020.
So far, the bus company has invested £17.8 million in these 54 buses.
“These extended range electric buses are the most practical way of achieving no emissions through the city centre and in other sensitive areas,£ said Brighton & Hove Buses’ Managing Director Martin Harris. “We will use data gathered from the first group of 30 buses to set the next 24 buses to zero emissions over a greater distance beyond the city’s ULEZ.
“They are an important stepping-stone to becoming emissions free and they represent a major investment of nearly £18 million in improving air quality for everybody in the city. It’s an investment that underlines our steadfast commitment to making Brighton & Hove a clean air city with zero emissions by 2030.”
Martin says each bus saved 31% well-to-wheel greenhouse gas emissions compared with a Euro VI diesel bus of equivalent passenger capacity. The term ‘well to wheel’ is an estimate of emissions over the entire lifecycle of a vehicle and includes its manufacturing, dismantling and recycling.
The bus is powered by a battery, which is charged by an on-board generator when the driver brakes. It means the bus delivers zero emissions in Brighton & Hove’s ULEZ without needing to stop and charge during the day, while eliminating the need for expensive and intrusive roadside charging stations.
It is also a quieter and smoother journey for passengers as the bus uses an electric drivetrain for acceleration and braking.
Key facts
- These 54 buses will cover 244,000 zero-emissions miles in Brighton & Hove’s ULEZ every year.
- That’s 3,845 trips every week, benefitting 3 million passenger journeys per year.
- The Enviro400ER is the first hybrid bus in the UK that can run for this long in zero-emissions mode, up to three miles (double the length of Brighton & Hove’s ULEZ).
- Each bus saves 31% well-to-wheel* greenhouse gas emissions compared with a Euro VI diesel bus of equivalent passenger capacity. *This is an estimate of emissions over the entire lifecycle of a vehicle, including the manufacturing process, dismantling and recycling.
- The ULEZ covers Castle Square in the Old Steine, North Street and Western Road, as far as Palmeira Square.
- Enviro400ER buses were built by British firm Alexander Dennis Ltd and use BaE Systems’ technology.
- This ADL bus was certified as ultra-low emission by the UK’s Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership in September 2020.
- Clean Air Day is the UK’s largest anti-air pollution campaign. Find out more at: www.cleanairday.org.uk/about-clean-air-day