A new fully-electric version of London's iconic double-decker bus is set to trial in the new year, forming the latest in a string of electric vehicle fleets in the UK capital as local authorities and private businesses attempt to make the city's public transport greener.
Credit: The Jewel E bus will be joining London's electric fleets nearly next year. Credit: Equipmake
The Jewel E bus, developed by Equipmake in collaboration with Go Ahead, the largest bus operator in London, is set to be rolled out in the first quarter of 2022, conforming with the latest standards laid out by Transport for London (TfL) which is also currently conducting trials on hydrogen buses, alongside its existing fleet of electric buses.
Read more: London Mayor launches England's first hydrogen buses
Set to be manufactured at a facility in Norfolk, the bus' "Zero Emission Drivetrain" (ZED) offers three modular battery pack options of 325kWh, 434kWh and 543 kWh - the latter being the most powerful of any two-axle double-decker electric bus in the world. The bus can reportedly travel us to 482 km (300 miles) on a single charge - more than sufficient for an entire duty cycle without needing to stop and recharge.
Equipmake's managing director, Ian Foley described the model as "cost-effective", "efficient" and "purpose-built" for the requirements levied by TfL.
"I am delighted to announce our partnership with Go-Ahead", he added. "In-service trials with London’s largest bus operator will allow us to continue the vehicle’s development during real-world usage cycles on public roads, a vital next step in perfecting the double-decker electric bus before it enters full service.”
While the buses were designed and developed within the UK, the body's design comes from Spain's Beulas, while the chassis was manufactured by Buenos Aires-based Agrale.
The buses can be charged overnight at bus depots using charging points.
The UK is looking to introduce as many as 4,000 electric buses on its roads by 2024 as part of a bid to improve air quality and reduce automotive pollution. Equipmake also claims net-zero fleets could reduce operating costs across the board.
The global electric bus market is expected to grow by around 300,000 units per year, to around one million by 2030.
The ZED technology at the heart of the bus has been designed to cater to different customer needs and bus sizes, as part of Equipmake's plans to grow its lineup of advanced electric powertrains and vehicles.
Another key component of the Jewel E ZED chassis is Equipmake’s HTM 3500 electric motor, which has been integrated into the prop shaft without the need for a separate transmission, reportedly delivering a 3,500 Nm torque at just 1,000 rpm and delivering a maximum power of 400kW.
According to Go Ahead, it has saved 700 tonnes of carbon dioxide with its existing fleet and has opened what it claims is Europe's first all-electric bus garage. The integration of the Jewel E will likely help it meet any sustainability targets it may have.
"We have the necessary infrastructure already in place to seamlessly integrate the Jewel E test programme into our services", the group's engineering director Richard Harrington said.
“What makes the Jewel E even more exciting is that it is one of the first EV bus to meet the new Transport for London (TfL) bus safety standard specifications and requirements for 2024, which is a key advantage for our passengers and drivers and the public", he added.
Transport for London has also looked to take this same sustainability goal to London's most famous public transport system - the tube.
Partnering with Siemens Mobility, the pair unveiled the detailed design of the new generation Tube trains for the Piccadilly line back in March, with the new trains set to replace the old fleet, which has been in operation since the 1970s.
Read more: Siemens and Transport for London unveil new Piccadilly line trains
94 new models are expected to go into operation, as the old models are becoming difficult and expensive to maintain.
Britain's public transport infrastructure is currently undergoing a number of renovations to increase service for passengers, likely as part of plans to reduce congestion and pollution from vehicles as the nation looks to phase out vehicles fully powered by fossil fuels by the end of the decade.
The UK has pledged to be completely net-zero by 2050.
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