Wrightbus has been awarded a new contract to deliver a further 80 electric buses to Abellio for operation in London.
This order consists of 24 single-deck GB Kite Electroliners and 56 StreetDeck Electroliners.
These zero-emission vehicles will enter service in 2024 and will be operated by Abellio on behalf of Transport for London (TfL).
Jon Eardley, Managing Director of Abellio, said:Abellio sits at the forefront of EV bus technology in London, leading the way with the introduction of zero-emission buses across our six London depots. We are proud to support Transport for London and the Mayor of London’s goals to decarbonise London’s streets.
Abellio’s investment in state-of-the-art EV fleet and comprehensive infrastructure has already provided millions of customers with comfortable, cleaner, and greener journeys. We are very excited about the future as we energise all six of our London depots and work in partnership with Wrightbus to serve our customers with innovative zero-emission journeys.
The 2024 Kites will feature a new look, alongside several safety features such as front and nearside blindspot warnings, a tyre pressure monitoring system, an automated emergency braking system, and a dynamic stability test.
The bus interiors have been designed in partnership with Abellio and will include Lazzerini high back seats and a wood-effect floor. Customers will also benefit from USB chargers and mobile phone holders at their seats.
In addition, the new vehicles will feature a larger wheelchair and buggy area to improve accessibility.
Jean-Marc Gales, CEO at Wrightbus, said:We are delighted to continue our partnership with Abellio to further demonstrate their commitment to offering even more zero-emission public transport in London. We’re immensely proud of the reputation we have forged in the zero-emission transport sector and the important role we are playing in the UK’s ambitions for decarbonisation. All of the buses will be manufactured and assembled at our Ballymena factory, which means support for jobs in Northern Ireland, and wider across the UK through our domestic supply chain.
This contract takes Abellio’s total order of StreetDeck Electroliners with Wrightbus to over 100. This includes an order for 30 new Electroliner electric buses placed at the beginning of 2023.
