Alexander Dennis Limited, a subsidiary of bus and coach manufacturer NFI Group Inc., has taken a firm order from transport group Stagecoach for 244 of its next-generation zero-emission buses.
Stagecoach supported numerous local authorities across England in successful bids to reach the second round of the United Kingdom government’s Zero-Emission Regional Bus Areas scheme (ZEBRA 2). Following the funding award, the group has been able to place the largest single order of Alexander Dennis’ zero-emission buses to date.
A total of 180 new Enviro400EV double-deckers will join similar vehicles bought by Stagecoach with earlier ZEBRA 1 funding that are currently being delivered and commissioned for service. The Enviro400EV combines an energy efficiency of 0.67 kWh/km over the UK Bus Cycle with 472-kWh batteries and warrantable energy throughput of up to 1.6 GWh.
There will also be 54 Enviro200EV in lengths of 10.9 meters (35.8 feet) and 11.7 meters (38.4 feet). This is the first order for Alexander Dennis’s new integral single-decker, which will launch in 2025 to complement the current range of next-generation electric buses.
Ten Enviro100EV small buses complete Stagecoach’s order. At 8.5 meters (27.9 feet) in length and a width of 2.35 meters (7.7 feet), the Enviro100EV is a highly maneuverable choice for town services. It offers the same durability and comfort as larger buses as well as a substantial operational range from its 354-kWh batteries.
All Enviro400EV, Enviro200EV and Enviro100EV buses ordered with ZEBRA 2 funding will be delivered to Stagecoach’s operating companies in England during 2025 and 2026.
“This landmark deal with Stagecoach confirms the benefits of our next-generation electric buses, which have been carefully designed to deliver a highly attractive total cost of ownership proposition,” says Paul Davies, president and managing director of Alexander Dennis.
“We are particularly delighted that Stagecoach will benefit from our platform approach to vehicle development, which maximizes the number of common parts and solutions across all three vehicle types to make them easy to drive and maintain,” adds Davies. “Our Enviro100EV ‘big small bus,’ the new Enviro200EV all-rounder and the crowd-shifting Enviro400EV double-decker will be driving value together through efficiency, longevity and flexibility.”
“We’re excited to be the largest electric vehicle order to date for Alexander Dennis with these 244 new vehicles and reaffirm Stagecoach’s commitment to transition to a zero-emission bus fleet,” says Claire Miles, CEO of Stagecoach. “We will continue to build on our work to tackle climate change and connect communities across the U.K. sustainably and efficiently.”