Volvo’s demonstration programme for its opportunity charged all-electric right-hand-drive 7900E single-decker began on 20 September in Manchester, where it is being evaluated for eight weeks on the free city centre Metroshuttle 2 service.
First Manchester is operating the two-door demonstrator alongside hybrid and all-electric Optare Versas that it runs on behalf of Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). It will then spend eight weeks at Heathrow Airport on car park and staff transport shuttles and is expected to undertake further trials with First in Leeds, Arriva in Liverpool — where 13 BYD/ Alexander Dennis electric single-deckers entered service in October — and with National Express in Birmingham.
Unlike other manufacturers’ plug-in electrics, Volvo’s system uses opportunity charging — branded OppCharge by the manufacturer — to take between 3 and 6min to top up the four high-capacity 19kWh lithium-ion batteries throughout the day.
An inverted pantograph drops down from an overhead gantry to make contact with conductor bars on the bus roof. Volvo has set up partnerships with both ABB and Siemens to provide these gantries, which are designed to an international standard that will allow all makes …
