Ashwoods Automotive has delivered its first hybrid minibus in England – a 17-seat vehicle built on a Ford Transit chassis for Bluebird Tours.
Harry Kilgour, founder and owner of Bluebird Tours of Coniston, styled as the Lake District's first eco-friendly bus tour company, confirms that it has been running the minibus for several weeks, with positive feedback from drivers and passengers.
"It's an uncomplicated system, doesn't require any extra maintenance and is reducing our diesel spend and fuel use, while also lowering our greenhouse gas emissions," he states.
The Ashwoods Hybrid Drive was launched in 2008 and has since been fitted to hundreds of Ford Transit panel vans and chassis cabs. The technology claims to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 15—25%.
This system is effectively self-powered by storing energy every time the vehicle slows down, then transferring it to the drive wheels via an electric motor.
Unlike most other hybrids or electric vehicles, it is designed so that it never needs plugging into a charging point.
