DAVID TOY explains why Brighton & Hove has opted for extended range Alexander Dennis hybrids rather than pure electrics for one of the busiest routes through the city’s ultralow emission zone

Brighton & Hove 309 (YX69 NVU), one of the first Alexander Dennis Enviro400ERs placed in service, at Withdean Park on 10 October. The Live & Breathe branding also appears inside the buses on the staircase.
RICHARD GODFREY
Challenged to comply with an ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) in the city centre, Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach considered but ruled out — for the time being — battery electric vehicles as it judges that the technology and power infrastructure are not yet ready to deliver the range needed between charges in such a hilly urban environment.