Irizar and Go-Ahead, London’s biggest bus operator, have signed an agreement for two Irizar i2e electric buses to be put into operation in London from the end of July. The buses are fully manufactured with Irizar group’s own technology, and add to those delivered in Europe in 2014. The all-electric buses will go on in high-intensity routes 507, connecting Waterloo station to Victoria Station and 521, connecting Waterloo with London Bridge Station.
“London has always been at the forefront of adopting and trialling new green technology. As the number of electric buses in our fleet grows we are learning more about how they can help us to improve services and benefit our customers” said Mr. Mike Weston, TFL’s Director of Buses.
“London’s buses are in the process of being transformed into the most environmental friendly fleet in the world. We were the first operator in the capital to run pure electric vehicles and 18 months of reliable service has proved this form of power is a viable solution. Irizar’s entry into this market is welcome and I look forward to working with them to deliver benefits to all Londoners” said Mr. Richard Harrington, Go-Ahead London’s Engineering Director.
By placing electric buses in the UK, Irizar not only shows its capacity for adapting to the needs of markets and operators but also reaffirms its intention of positioning itself as market leader in urban mobility with the firm commitment to contribute to the sustainability and improvement of city environments. “This is an important step for Irizar because it helps us develop a product and service which meets the demanding specifications of Go-Ahead and the regulations in the UK, as well as providing the safety, reliability, comfort and autonomy of all Irizar products,” said Mr. Hector Olabegogeaskoetxea, Irizar’s Electromobility Manager.
The features of the 12-metre bus include a continuous low floor, two double doors with an electric ramp located at the centre door. The electric motor has 180kW of power and the batteries have 282kWh of storage, which give the buses a range of between 160km and 180km under typical London traffic conditions. As a new feature, they also incorporate a heating and cooling unit for the driver area and anti-vandalism locks.
Irizar has taken advantage of its ability to adapt manufacture of buses and coaches to demanding specifications by configuring the vehicles for TfL and Go-Ahead with 26 seats and one wheelchair place, to give a total passenger capacity of 60. The vehicle will incorporate the on-board fleet management systems and telemetry which are standard in London bus operation.
The i2es are the first buses handled by Irizar, subsidiary Irizar UK, better known as sole UK supplier of its coach range. “Our new bus project manager, Mr. John Horn, has brought his vast experience in bus sales in UK to Irizar’s bus team in Spain to ensure these vehicles are appropriate for the London operating environment, and we are confident they will continue the success in Europe” said Mr. Steve O’Neill, Director. “Going forward, we expect to see rapid development of i2e sales in the UK, with a number of local authorities showing an interest in running emissions-free buses in urban and metropolitan areas.”
Go-Ahead London is the largest bus company in the capital. It employs just over 7,000 people from 17 locations, mainly in South, North and East London. The company has approximately 2,300 vehicles, including London’s first fully electric buses and around 110 New Routemasters. The company runs 25 per cent of the regulated bus market under contract to Transport for London (TfL), where routes are awarded under a competitive tendering programme for a period of five to seven years. The company provides over 140 TfL services and in 2013-2014 ran 80 million miles. In addition to running London’s first electric buses, the company has also operated two fully electric engineering support vehicles since 2009.