Alexander Dennis’ next-generation Enviro400EV has been confirmed as the most efficient battery-electric double-decker bus tested to Zemo Partnership standards.
This testing was carried out at UTAC’s approved test facility at Millbrook Proving Ground. The Enviro400EV was deemed to have an average energy consumption of 0.67kWh per kilometre across the UK Bus Cycle.
This result provides the model with a 10 percent efficiency advantage over vehicles with a comparable battery size.
The UK Bus Cycle tests the vehicle across varied common operating conditions, including inner urban, outer urban and rural routes. The Enviro400EV with a Voith Electrical Drive System was confirmed to be extremely efficient across all parts of the cycle.
Consequently, this advantage can help operators minimise energy costs even for intensive services such as those in London.
The Enviro400EV’s future-proof battery system, supplied by Impact Clean Power Technology, allows 88 percent of its 472kWh capacity to be used. Combined with an energy consumption of 0.67kWh per kilometre, this gives the electric double-decker a theoretical operating range of up to 620 kilometres (385 miles) on a single charge.
“Our next-generation Enviro400EV’s energy efficiency of 0.67kWh/km sets a new benchmark and is testament to Alexander Dennis’s lineage and strength in designing innovative products meeting the needs of the UK bus industry.
“The result demonstrates not just to the expertise of our fantastic engineering team who designed and developed the bus – it also confirms the efficacy of the system of zero-emission bus testing overseen by the Zemo Partnership. The process encourages us and our fellow UK manufacturers to continually raise the bar, bringing down customers’ operating costs through reduced energy consumption and ensuring the transition to zero-emission technology is both sustainable and profitable.”
This result through Zemo testing surpasses the previous benchmark set by Wrightbus in 2022.
Indeed, the previous record saw UTAC’s ZEMO-accredited Ultra Low Emission Bus (ULEB) test demonstrate that Wrightbus’ StreetDeck Electroliner double-decker electric bus consumes 0.69kWh of energy per kilometre.
