Optare PLC, a subsidiary of Indian company Ashok Leyland, has won an order of supplying 31 electric double-decker buses for the iconic London bus fleet. The order will be the largest ever for electric double-decker buses in Europe. Optare will be supplying 31 Metrodecker EV double-decker buses that will be added to London bus fleet for two of its routes – route 43 (Friern Barnet – London Bridge) and 134 (North Finchley – Tottenham Court Road) – will only have electric buses running on it.
The order of the 31 double-decker EV buses will be added to London’s fleet by next summer, Ashok Leyland has said in a statement. Ashok Leyland Managing Director Vinod K Dasari said was quoted as saying that double-decker buses have been iconic in London and are a matter of prestige to the city. Optare winning this contract is a moment of great pride for the company and the country.
Dasari went on to say that Optare had been investing in the development of e-mobility solutions for various markets, adding that e-mobility business is growing fast and Optare will play a crucial role Ashok Leyland’s position in the global market.
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Considering that government across the world, including India, are looking for cleaner fuel alternatives and the demand for such EVs will eventually rise, Ashok Leyland is pretty much ready to deliver in the clean emissions public transport vehicle segment.
Earlier this year, Ashok Leyland unveiled an electric bus called Circuit-S during the 2018 Auto Expo. The bus is powered by Sun Mobility swappable smart battery and can seat 25-30 passengers. The batteries powering the Circuit-S weigh 1/4th of a conventional lithium-ion unit.
Furthermore, Sun Mobility plans to set up a network of interchange stations, which will ensure quick recharging of buses reducing downtime by interchanging batteries.