Bus Manufacturer News & Discussion

[Volvodart]

Wrightbus has received more funding this time to produce heavyweight and multi axle zero emission buses.

Wrightbus awarded £12 million funding for NextGenZEB Project

Wrightbus and partners awarded £12million funding for NextGenZEB project. This project will produce a new, market-leading platform for battery and fuel cell electric driven buses. Whilst demand is growing for zero-emission vehicles, there are currently few options available for heavy, multi-axle...

wrightbus.com

NEXTGENZEBS – Wrightbus

£6.4 million awarded by government, matched by industry to a total £12.7 million. This project will produce a new, market-leading platform for battery and fuel cell electric driven buses. Whilst demand is growing for zero-emission vehicles, there are currently few options available for heavy, multi-axle vehicles like large buses.

Project partners include: Queens University Belfast, Grayson Thermal Systems, Hutchinson Engineering, Translink

Jobs created or safeguarded: 883

CO² savings: 3.4m tonnes

 

[LOL The Irony]

Wrightbus has received more funding this time to produce... multi axle zero emission buses.

Multi axle buses as opposed to unicycle buses? Aren't all buses multi axle? Is saying tri axle really more difficult than saying multi axle?

 

[cnjb8]

Wrightbus has received more funding this time to produce heavyweight and multi axle zero emission buses.

Wrightbus awarded £12 million funding for NextGenZEB Project

Wrightbus and partners awarded £12million funding for NextGenZEB project. This project will produce a new, market-leading platform for battery and fuel cell electric driven buses. Whilst demand is growing for zero-emission vehicles, there are currently few options available for heavy, multi-axle...

wrightbus.com

It's interesting that Translink are a project partner. Also could heavyweight include a zero-emission artic?

 

[fgwrich]

If only Wright's used to produce a quality heavyweight vehicle... Eclipse and Gemini says Hi!

I do wonder though if this could see the tide turning on lightweight vehicles at last in favour of a more heavier vehicle. While the lighter stuff is ok for urban work, Streetdecks / Streetlites certainly aren't for longer cross country / rural routes.

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

If only Wright's used to produce a quality heavyweight vehicle... Eclipse and Gemini says Hi!

I do wonder though if this could see the tide turning on lightweight vehicles at last in favour of a more heavier vehicle. While the lighter stuff is ok for urban work, Streetdecks / Streetlites certainly aren't for longer cross country / rural routes.

It naturally is the tide turning mostly because of the Zero Emission vehicles and weight of the batteries..

 

[Goldfish62]

I wonder what ADL think of this funding for Wrightbus given that they have already produced an E500EV.

 

[MotCO]

I wonder what ADL think of this funding for Wrightbus given that they have already produced an E500EV.

Is that on the BYD or new AD chassis?

 

[37114]

Is that on the BYD or new AD chassis?

New AD chassis

 

[Hullian111]

First official shots of the Cambridge Park & Ride Volvo BZL 'deckers with their branding are in...
https://twitter.com/volvobusuk/status/1657000559172263937?s=46&t=S7PfUJVIHQXg1vIfzjEy6g
And what a crying shame, in my opinion, that they've gotten rid of the colour-coded brands for this plain livery. Though to be frank, it probably works better there since when I went to Cambridge last June, only one branded bus was on its correct route!

 

[Mikey C]

First official shots of the Cambridge Park & Ride Volvo BZL 'deckers with their branding are in...
https://twitter.com/volvobusuk/status/1657000559172263937?s=46&t=S7PfUJVIHQXg1vIfzjEy6g
And what a crying shame, in my opinion, that they've gotten rid of the colour-coded brands for this plain livery. Though to be frank, it probably works better there since when I went to Cambridge last June, only one branded bus was on its correct route!

Quite attractive buses, a bit less boxy than the previous Evora

 

[EMU303]

I wonder what ADL think of this funding for Wrightbus given that they have already produced an E500EV.

I wonder if there’s any connection between the Bamford family donations to the Conservative party over the years and Wrightbus receiving government funding.. I guess we’ll never know….

 

[CBlue]

First official shots of the Cambridge Park & Ride Volvo BZL 'deckers with their branding are in...
https://twitter.com/volvobusuk/status/1657000559172263937?s=46&t=S7PfUJVIHQXg1vIfzjEy6g
And what a crying shame, in my opinion, that they've gotten rid of the colour-coded brands for this plain livery. Though to be frank, it probably works better there since when I went to Cambridge last June, only one branded bus was on its correct route!

For the past three years Stagecoach East have operated on the policy of "it moves, it goes out." P&R branded fleets have been working normal services for those three years and generally it's got to the point that they might as well ignore any route branding altogether.

 

[PG]

Quite attractive buses, a bit less boxy than the previous Evora

Overall yes quite aesthetically pleasing - kind of a bus version of the Class 365 Happy Train! The offside 3/4 shots remind me of ECW bodied Bristol VRLs, while the nearside with the gentle stepped window line is reminiscent of an early low floor era Neoplan single decker.
I do wonder given the visible reflections on the windscreen what the view out is like from the drivers seat though?

 

[Goldfish62]

I do wonder given the visible reflections on the windscreen what the view out is like from the drivers seat though?

It's designed to be compliant with the TfL Bus Safety Standard. The windscreen is raked back to reduce relections and is wrap around so the view of corners of the front are not blocked by the A pillars.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 May 2023 ==

I wonder if there’s any connection between the Bamford family donations to the Conservative party over the years and Wrightbus receiving government funding.. I guess we’ll never know….

Similar could be said about Wrightbus being commissioned to build the Borismaster when the then owners and then-Mayor of London were both pally pally with the DUP.

But of course we'll never know...

 

[MotCO]

Similar could be said about Wrightbus being commissioned to build the Borismaster when the then owners and then-Mayor of London were both pally pally with the DUP.

But of course we'll never know...

And Brian Souter contributed to the SNP. Does it make any difference - who knows?

 

[Goldfish62]

And Brian Souter contributed to the SNP. Does it make any difference - who knows?

Indeed.

 

[fgwrich]

And Brian Souter contributed to the SNP. Does it make any difference - who knows?

On that note, it is interesting that with less and less Souter stronghold on Stagecoach, the order books have opened out wide to include new vehicles from Wrights, Volvo / MCV etc rather the year on end staple of Alexander Dennis and a handle of Optares.

 

[Snow1964]

Wrightbus has received more funding this time to produce heavyweight and multi axle zero emission buses.

Wrightbus awarded £12 million funding for NextGenZEB Project

Wrightbus and partners awarded £12million funding for NextGenZEB project. This project will produce a new, market-leading platform for battery and fuel cell electric driven buses. Whilst demand is growing for zero-emission vehicles, there are currently few options available for heavy, multi-axle...

wrightbus.com

Totalling up all the various grants and development costs the Government, Northern Ireland, and TfL for new routemaster, must come to something like £40-50m over last 15 years.

I wonder what ADL, Optare etc think of this level playing field. But of course England subsidising Northern Ireland businesses is deemed fair.

 

[scosutsut]

Totalling up all the various grants and development costs the Government, Northern Ireland, and TfL for new routemaster, must come to something like £40-50m over last 15 years.

I wonder what ADL, Optare etc think of this level playing field. But of course England subsidising Northern Ireland businesses is deemed fair.

Something definitely stinks, but I doubt it'll get proper investigation or action.

 

[PG]

The offside 3/4 shots remind me of ECW bodied Bristol VRLs, while the nearside with the gentle stepped window line is reminiscent of an early low floor era Neoplan single decker.

Close examination of this photo

reveals that the window line is actually painted on.

EDIT: picture shows nearside of one of the new Cambridge Park & Ride buses.

 

[Richard Scott]

Something definitely stinks, but I doubt it'll get proper investigation or action.

It might do but at least better than an influx of foreign built buses? Keeps people in UK employed and you can bet it happens in other countries where we claim they support manufacturing.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Close examination of this photo
reveals that the window line is actually painted on.

EDIT: picture shows nearside of one of the new Cambridge Park & Ride buses.

I'm not exactly sure why they bothered with it in the first place. As can be seen there is only one very narrow window that is actually lower.

 

[Goldfish62]

It might do but at least better than an influx of foreign built buses? Keeps people in UK employed and you can bet it happens in other countries where we claim they support manufacturing.

The main competition is from ADL, which when I last looked had its factories in the UK, but fair comment nonetheless.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Perhaps one thing to consider is that at present Wrightbus are the only wholly UK owned bus manufacturer offering and producing their own battery-electric and Hydrogen-electric vehicles. ADL and Optare/Switch are owned by NFI Group and Ashok Leyland respectively, while the Mellor Sigma range is essentially just a rebadged product imported from Wisdom Motor Company in China. The set up between Mellor and Wisdom Motor Company doesn't appear to be that different to the set up between Pelican and Yutong.

 

[Goldfish62]

Perhaps one thing to consider is that at present Wrightbus are the only wholly UK owned bus manufacturer offering and producing their own battery-electric and Hydrogen-electric vehicles. ADL and Optare/Switch are owned by NFI Group and Ashok Leyland respectively, while the Mellor Sigma range is essentially just a rebadged product imported from Wisdom Motor Company in China. The set up between Mellor and Wisdom Motor Company doesn't appear to be that different to the set up between Pelican and Yutong.

Very true.

The steps that Mellor go to to hide the fact that what they market as their own are actually built in China by another manufacturer. "Built off-shore" as they put it.

 

[Hullian111]

Call me impatient, but how long does it take to build either a diesel or electric bus? According to BLotW (buslistsontheweb.co.uk), it seems it's taking a while for Wright to churn out the huge volume of Kite Electroliners on order, while even as Hull is apparently expecting new E400MMCs from ADL, an order for Stagecoach South still hasn't been completed.

I get building new buses is a complex business, especially if they have zero-emissions technology now, but I can't help but think the process is slower than I remember it being when our new Stagecoach and EY fleets came in 2019.

 

[Eyersey468]

Call me impatient, but how long does it take to build either a diesel or electric bus? According to BLotW, it seems it's taking a while for Wright to churn out the huge volume of Kite Electroliners on order, while even as Hull is apparently expecting new E400MMCs from ADL, an order for Stagecoach South still hasn't been completed.

I get building new buses is a complex business, especially if they have zero-emissions technology now, but I can't help but think the process is slower than I remember it being when our new Stagecoach and EY fleets came in 2019.

Lead times are 4-6 months minimum.

 

[Goldfish62]

Lead times are 4-6 months minimum.

That seems very quick. Rule of thumb is usually around 9 months, unless it's a basic build to stock spec.

 

[Cesarcollie]

Call me impatient, but how long does it take to build either a diesel or electric bus? According to BLotW (buslistsontheweb.co.uk), it seems it's taking a while for Wright to churn out the huge volume of Kite Electroliners on order, while even as Hull is apparently expecting new E400MMCs from ADL, an order for Stagecoach South still hasn't been completed.

I get building new buses is a complex business, especially if they have zero-emissions technology now, but I can't help but think the process is slower than I remember it being when our new Stagecoach and EY fleets came in 2019.

All manufacturers reduced capacity and staffing during covid and in many cases not all production lines are yet working again. Plus some components are still difficult to get and/or have long lead times. Just like many car and van models. Any orders ADL take now for example will be for delivery well into 2024 and I think Wrights are similar.

 

[gka472l]

Call me impatient, but how long does it take to build either a diesel or electric bus? According to BLotW (buslistsontheweb.co.uk), it seems it's taking a while for Wright to churn out the huge volume of Kite Electroliners on order, while even as Hull is apparently expecting new E400MMCs from ADL, an order for Stagecoach South still hasn't been completed.

I get building new buses is a complex business, especially if they have zero-emissions technology now, but I can't help but think the process is slower than I remember it being when our new Stagecoach and EY fleets came in 2019.

The Stagecoach South examples seemed to have stayed under the radar so far, no pictures on delivery or of any that might have been delivered to Chichester, however I have seen a picture of an example which wasn't quite finished but not sure how long ago it was taken. They are intended for the western parts of the 700 between Portsmouth, Chichester, Bognor & presumably Littlehampton and are in a new variation of Stagecoach livery.....