Lothian Buses has placed its first battery-electric double-deckers into service in the form of four BYD ADL Enviro400EV models.
Their introduction has been funded as a flagship project of SP Energy Networks’ £20m Green Economy Fund. The buses were assembled by ADL in Falkirk with complete chassis supplied by BYD. They each seat 72 passengers and will be utilised on service 10 between Leith and Bonaly via Edinburgh city centre.
The 10.8m vehicles are part of Edinburgh’s journey to net zero by 2030. Says Lothian Buses Interim Managing Director Nigel Serafini: “Across the last decade, Lothian has removed around 15,000 tonnes of CO2 from our carbon footprint through our fleet replacement strategies. The introduction of Edinburgh’s first fully electric double-decker buses allows us to continue on this journey, further reducing our impact on the environment.”
Mr Serafini adds that the new Enviro400EVs for Lothian “further cement our commitment to meet the requirements of the Scottish Government and The City of Edinburgh Council’s climate change strategies.”
BYD UK MD Frank Thorpe describes initiatives such as the Green Economy Fund as “enormously encouraging.” He says that Scotland is embracing electrification “as enthusiastically as any nation in Europe.”
Adds Alexander Dennis President and Managing Director Paul Davies: “These new electric buses take our collaboration with Lothian to the next step by further reducing emissions and improving air quality while continuing to reinvest in the Scottish economy and local communities where we assemble our buses.”
Other bus-related projects already supported by the SP Energy Networks Green Economy Fund include a pair of BYD ADL Enviro200EVs purchased by First Glasgow and the introduction of five battery-electric Mellor Orion E minibuses by Community Transport Glasgow.
