The bus now features an electric drivetrain and is expected to have a range of 150 miles in all UK weather conditions due to a larger battery and Equipmake’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.
Tom Bridge, Operations Director of First Bus in North & West Yorkshire, said: “This retrofit technology is another important step in our transition to achieving a fully electric fleet in York, continuing to help improve air quality in the city and supporting the goal of First Bus nationally to have a zero-emission fleet by 2035.”
The Optare Versa trial will last four weeks, operating on the 68 service to the University of York and the Burnholme-Bishopthorpe 11 service. This will enable engineering teams at First York and Equipmake to evaluate its performance and make any final adjustments. A total of 12 converted vehicles will be delivered over the coming months.
The service routes are simulated to ensure the optimum battery power level is selected to secure driving ranges of 150 to 250 miles. This range is said to be more than sufficient for a complete duty cycle, allowing buses to be recharged faster, overnight and operate for longer during the day.
Ian Foley, CEO, Equipmake, said: “Knowledge gained from in-service trials will be used to inform the implementation of our pioneering technology in 12 of the buses in the fleet, fantastic news for passengers and the people of York, making a significant contribution to improving local air quality.”