ALAN MILLAR visited China in August to learn about the massive infrastructure, knowhow and ambition that drives Alexander Dennis’s electric chassis partner
If Stagecoach succeeds with its bid for UK government funding and puts 105 pure electric BYD/Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV double-deckers on the streets of Manchester by 2020, that will be one of the biggest steps yet towards making this technology mainstream in the UK.
It could also be the largest leap yet made by the joint venture between the UK’s market leading bus builder and its Chinese partner since they teamed up in 2015.
To date, they have announced orders — many delivered — for 181 Enviro200EV single-deckers and for the first 37 Enviro400EVs due in London next year. Add in vehicles ordered and supplied complete from China before the joint venture was agreed and BYD — the initials stand for Build Your Dreams — will have delivered a total of 196 single-deckers and 42 double-deckers, plus a 10.8m single-deck demonstrator for London since the first two buses for London arrived in 2013.
Only Optare comes anywhere close to that with around 115 electric Solos, Versas, Metrocitys and Metrodeckers ordered or delivered since 2012, including a couple o…
