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by Antonio Pasolini
London's transport network is getting greener with the launch of zero-emission versions of the iconic double-decker buses. The all-electric model was unveiled by TFL (Transport for London) during a special ceremony at the City Hall with London’s Deputy Mayor of Environment and Energy, Matthew Pencharz, who received officially the first bus from the manufacturer.
The five buses that will hit the road in London are more than 33 feet long and feature air conditioning, and seats for 54 passengers with space for an extra 27 standing passengers. The buses were designed and developed by BYD, the world's largest electric vehicle manufacturer, to TFL's specifications.
The new fleet is equipped with iron-phosphate batteries? that can deliver 345 kWh of power. This means each vehicle can run for over 24 hours and up to 190 miles of typical urban driving on the service routes. A single daily recharging requires only four hours, and TfL plans to do the charging overnight to benefit from off-peak electricity rates.
“It’s a very exciting moment that this is happening here,” Pencharz said a press statement. “The running costs are much lower and some of the maintenance and operations costs are much lower on the buses. Also, these are zero-emission, zero-tailpipe-pollution and that is a huge benefit for Londoners.”
Image credit: TfL
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