The biennial Euro Bus Expo at the Birmingham NEC saw some new developments, innovations, technology, expansion plans and partnerships across the bus and coach sector.
Standing out as a highlight, was Alexander Dennis confirming specification of its next-generation Enviro200EV single decker, which will launch in 2025 to expand the company’s zero-emissions bus offer for the UK.
The manufacturer reported that development of the new Enviro200EV is on track and it will build on the success of the Enviro200. It will offer customers a scalable platform across midi and full-size single deck lengths. 9.9m, 10.9m and 11.7m options form the core of the offering.
The Enviro200 will be available both to provincial and Transport for London operators, with an additional 10.4m length available in the capital. All will have a 2.47m-wide body to increase manoeuvrability.
Long wheelbase lengths and short overhangs maximise the Enviro200EV’s easily accessible low-floor area, while reduced wheel intrusion compared with heavyweight designs further increases space for passengers. This enables high numbers of seats and high total passenger capacities to be offered for each of the vehicle lengths.
In provincial specification, the Enviro200EV can be fitted with up to 33, 39 or 43 seats at 9.9m, 10.9m and 11.7m respectively, with total passenger capacity reaching up to 92 on the longest model. One or two wheelchair spaces can be provided, accessed via a manual ramp at the front door.
Alexander Dennis said the Enviro200EV has been designed with the same focus on efficiency that has already seen its Enviro100EV and Enviro400EV sister vehicles “confirmed as the most energy-efficient buses in their respective sizes” when measured over the Zemo Partnership’s UK Bus Cycle alongside a 97% grid-to-wheel efficiency.
The new single decker’s lightweight design with a lower height and lighter vehicle structure delivers a weight advantage of around two tonnes compared to competitor heavyweight single deckers, underpinning its energy efficiency credentials. This very significant weight advantage reportedly does not come with any compromise to the vehicle structure, with the new Enviro200EV delivering a significant improvement in stiffness over earlier electric buses.
It will be powered by the highly efficient Voith Electrical Drive System, whose medium-duty version has been designed especially for lighter-weight and smaller vehicles and will be fitted as standard on the Enviro200EV. The heavy-duty option will be available for demanding, high-speed routes that benefit from a stronger motor.
A 400kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery system from Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) delivers the best balance of attributes for the Enviro200EV. It will offer up to 1.4GWh of warrantable energy throughput.
Engineering of the Enviro200EV is largely complete and production will commence shortly ahead of the launch of the finished product in 2025.
Turkey-based Karsan used Euro Bus Expo as a platform to launch its electric e-JEST vehicles that will see EVM introduce them to the UK and Ireland markets.
Karsan has a strong market presence, especially across Europe – principally left-hand drive ones – but launched in Japan in 2023, the first right-hand drive vehicle market it had entered. The UK and Ireland are the second right-hand drive markets, and it has plans to launch in Malta and Australia.
The 6m electric city van Karsan e-JEST stands out as the leading model in Karsan’s electric transformation. It has a compact size with a passenger capacity of 17 in the right-hand drive version exclusive for the UK market and is powered by BMW‘s 135kW electric motor.
With its 88kWh battery capacity, the vehicle has a range of up to 210 kilometres and can be charged in one hour with fast charging and four hours with home night charging. Moreover, thanks to the regenerative braking system that provides energy recovery, the batteries can recharge themselves at a rate of 25%.
Karsan says the vehicle has high manoeuvrability, spacious interior, dynamic design and unique climbing performance. It is equipped with a touchscreen display with vehicle control systems, a fully digital dashboard, USB outputs and Wi-Fi compatible infrastructure upon request.
The right-hand drive version of Karsan e-JEST has a four-wheel independent suspension system. It also has a combination of active and passive safety driving features from ESP to Hillholder.
Speaking at Euro Bus Expo, Karsan CCO Deniz Çetin said the e-JEST is preferred for intermediate lines feeding main lines during peak hours, and as shuttle vehicles during off-peak hours and evenings. “e-JESTs reduce operational costs with their compact size and offer modern and passenger-friendly solutions for cities," he added.
Having achieved its best ever year in the UK during 2024, Irizar revealed it is building for future success by pressing ahead with the development of its new HQ located near Blyth in north Nottinghamshire.
The site was purchased in 2018, but economic uncertainties as a result of Brexit put the project on hold, with the timeline being further impacted by the implications of Covid. However, a return to positive trading in 2023, followed by a record year in 2024, and now strong order books through to 2026 has allowed Irizar to move forward with the project.
The core of the development on the four-acre site will include showroom and coach handover facilities, along with office accommodation and extensive coach parking facilities. With a planning application submitted, and selection of main contractors underway, Irizar is targeting to be in the new facility for early Q4 2025.
Freeway Fleet Systems launched Insight-AI, a new software development offering real-time and historical insights into all aspects of fleet maintenance with an intuitive design that makes complex fleet data easily accessible for smarter, faster decision-making.
By gathering data from mobile devices used by engineers and staff in garages, the system delivers clear, easy-to-interpret charts and graphs via Freeway’s dashboards.
Freeway Insight-AI software harnesses cloud data platforms and business intelligence (BI) tools to identify operational, engineering, stores and compliance issues in real time. This empowers managers with the information they need to take immediate corrective action, improve performance, reduce costs and ensure compliance.
Data is gathered digitally using rugged tablets and smartphones that replace traditional paperwork such as job cards, inspection sheets and parts requisitions.
Freeway also collates defect reports from drivers, parts usage and data from stores, and data from other areas such as operations and accounts. The pooled data provides the essential ‘fuel’ for AI-driven insights into all aspects of fleet maintenance. Analysed data is presented via Freeway dashboards to highlight critical issues and opportunities to enable informed decisions, aided by AI.
TBC Conversions (TBC), a vehicle manufacturer across taxi, minibus and specialist conversions, used Euro Bus Expo to launch a new sustainable vehicle following a major investment.
The vehicle, a nine-seat electric accessible minibus, is focused on improving urban mobility and reducing emissions, boasts a range of almost 200 miles and has the ability to fully recharge overnight.
Developed with Ford‘s technical input, it features quick-release seating, an electrically operated cantilever step, and options for inboard and under-floor lifts.
TBC also exhibited the Mercedes Sprinter 17-seat accessible minibus, now compatible with hydrogenated/hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), which can result in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of up to 90%.
Also at Euro Bus Expo, e-fleet solutions provider VEV revealed that it is working with bus operator Stagecoach to accelerate its bus electrification programme.
In support of Stagecoach‘s decarbonisation strategy, VEV was appointed to build high-powered DC charging infrastructure across four UK depots. The infrastructure will power 150 electric buses in Leamington, Nuneaton, Rugby and Chesterfield.
Taking the initiative further, VEV will also install solar power generation at the Chesterfield, Leamington and Nuneaton depots. This innovative approach will harness sunlight during daytime hours to reduce Stagecoach‘s reliance on the national grid for its power.
The project has an estimated predicted lifetime cost saving of more than £1m for Stagecoach, demonstrating the economic viability of the transition to electric fleets.
In a parallel development, Stagecoach is trialling the use by third parties of the charging infrastructure at its electric bus depot in Aberdeen. The goal is to maximise utilisation of the high-powered DC chargers when buses are out during the day. If successful, the hub will extend to another depot in Aberdeen and one in Perth, totalling 54 charge points.
The chargers will be managed through VEV’s smart charging and digital energy management platform VEV-IG, which will monitor and optimise power use and charging scheduling for the charge points. The VEV-IQ software will maximise charger utilisation and the overall efficiency of Stagecoach’s valuable charging assets in the hub.
Public transport operators continue to grapple with rising fuel costs and environmental regulations, so replacing or renewing entire bus fleets is complex. An alternative lies in the strategic replacement of bus engines.
This approach offers a host of benefits, including significant cost savings, reduced environmental impact and enhanced operational efficiency.
Cummins promoted its turnkey like-for-like engine replacement service that can be incorporated into a service agreement. This gives operators the opportunity to have a replacement option with a powerful Euro VI Cummins engine. Such agreements give bus operators a firmer grip on budgeting and operational planning. They are in place with big city bus operators including Transport UK London Bus and Arriva London.
