Alexander Dennis has unveiled the first next-generation Enviro400EV battery-electric double-decker bus for Transport for London (TfL).
The new vehicle is fitted with 472kWh batteries as standard. These come with a warranty lasting 14 years or 1 million kilometres.
This landmark warranty will allow the zero-emission bus to cover two consecutive seven-year route contracts without requiring a battery replacement. This will therefore contribute to a low total cost of ownership.
The batteries can be fully charged in just three hours through a DC plug connection, or even faster with optional roof-mounted connector rails for pantographs.
The batteries power the Enviro400EV through the heavy-duty Voith Electrical Drive System. This system has demonstrated a class-leading efficiency of just 0.67kWh/km over the UK Bus Cycle in Zemo Partnership certification.
Alexander Dennis also offers a 354kWh battery capacity version of this model for routes where range is not as critical. Instead, it prioritises increased passenger capacity and lower capital investment.
Ben Werth, Group Sales & Business Development Director for Alexander Dennis, said:For the TfL Enviro400EV, there is a design sweet spot that optimises available energy and therefore range, as well as vehicle efficiency, length, weight and passenger capacity. In addition to detailed route analysis, we have conducted extensive tests with our supply partners at the cell, module, pack and vehicle level, which have shown that 99% of London routes can be fully serviced with our 472kWh battery.
This is backed by a fantastic 14-year battery warranty that gives TfL-contracted operators peace of mind by covering the full duration of two consecutive route contracts. This means our Enviro400EV for London meets range requirements whilst achieving highly attractive total cost of ownership and providing commonality and serviceability across the wider electric bus fleet.
The Enviro400EV for London is 10.5 metres long. It has a shorter wheelbase and a tight 10.1-metre turning radius for better manoeuvrability in the city’s dense traffic.
Inside, it features TfL’s standard layout, including a wheelchair bay accessible via an electric ramp at the centre doors. The bus offers seating for 62 passengers on high-backed seats, with the rear rows on both decks reduced to four seats for enhanced comfort. It can accommodate up to 87 passengers with 472kWh batteries or up to 96 passengers with 354kWh batteries.
In partnership with TfL, Alexander Dennis has ensured the Enviro400EV aligns with the latest Bus Safety Standard, including pedestrian head-impact requirements.
Moreover, the Enviro400EV has been engineered to comply with UN Regulation 155 on cyber security and cyber security management. This compliance, although not legally required in the UK, provides protection against cyber threats and ensures secure hosting of customer data within the country.
The demonstrator model of the London-specification Enviro400EV has now been launched. It will be available for operators after its homologation and certification process is completed later this year.
Alexander Dennis will then later introduce the Enviro100EV and Enviro200EV models in the capital.
Ben Werth said:This week’s launch is the first step in bringing the next generation of zero-emission buses to the capital. We’re not stopping here, with further models in preparation and our future battery roadmap showing growth in battery density, which points towards needing fewer batteries in future to deliver the same total energy at an even better total cost of ownership.
