Successor to the Optare Solos

[LiviCrazy]

Back in the late 90s early 00s most small companies around my area and I suspect most places ran around with high-floor mini-buses. Most I saw were Mercedes-Benz. As they gradually all switched to low-floor most small companies switched to Optare Solos and have done for years. However, a lot of these are really starting to get on, and many will have to be replaced in the coming years.

What will end up being the natural successor to the Solos? I know I see a few Enviro 200s around, but not in any great number.

I doubt many of the smallest companies will be in the market for electric buses yet, especially for the type of routes they do, many to this day still just top up at local petrol stations at one end of the route.

Note: I don’t mean what will Optare’s model successor be, but instead what small bus operators will all choose.

 

[GusB]

Back in the late 90s early 00s most small companies around my area and I suspect most places ran around with high-floor mini-buses. Most I saw were Mercedes-Benz. As they gradually all switched to low-floor most small companies switched to Optare Solos and have done for years. However, a lot of these are really starting to get on, and many will have to be replaced in the coming years.

What will end up being the natural successor to the Solos? I know I see a few Enviro 200s around, but not in any great number.

Depending on the capacity required, anything from a van-derived minibus, to a small Enviro 200, I'd guess. There are quite a few small coachworks that can produce bodywork for the Mercedes Sprinter, Fiat Ducato, Iveco etc. Despite promoting its Sigma products, Mellor still has the Strata and Orion in its range, and I'd imagine it will continue to do so until there's no longer a market for them, or until the companies that supply the chassis decide that it's no longer viable to produce diesel versions.

Let's not forget that the StreetLite is still available (although, judging by some of the opinions expressed here, some would rather forget!)

I doubt many of the smallest companies will be in the market for electric buses yet, especially for the type of routes they do, many to this day still just top up at local petrol stations at one end of the route.

With funding being made available to assist operators with the cost of electric vehicles and associated infrastructure, I don't think it will be too long before smaller companies make the jump to electric. For some operators, particularly those in very rural areas, EVs might actually be a better option; there isn't a filling station in every village these days and fuel tends to be more expensive.

 

[Jordan Adam]

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with Mellor Strata LF bodywork by far seems to be the main product in the under 30 seats market segment at the moment, although personally i find the Iveco Daily based Ilsebus I-City Max to be a far nicer vehicle with a much more coach like feel. Probably not a huge surprise as the Ilsebus body is essentially a low entry version of their minicoach body while the Mellor Strata LF is essentially a low entry welfare bus.

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with EVM Cityline bodywork is also in very high demand at the moment, so much so that supposedly second hand examples are selling for more than the operators had purchased them new!

Depending on the capacity required, anything from a van-derived minibus, to a small Enviro 200, I'd guess. There are quite a few small coachworks that can produce bodywork for the Mercedes Sprinter, Fiat Ducato, Iveco etc. Despite promoting its Sigma products, Mellor still has the Strata and Orion in its range, and I'd imagine it will continue to do so until there's no longer a market for them, or until the companies that supply the chassis decide that it's no longer viable to produce diesel versions.

It would probably be unwise for Mellor to drop the Strata and Orion given their popularity, plus the fact the Sigma isn't built in the UK it's more really a product that Mellor import rather than build much like the Pelican/Yutong partnership.

They also already offer a full electric Orion-E.

Community Transport Glasgow SJ69EXR

SJ69 EXR is a FIAT/Mellor Orion-E new to Community Transport Glasgow in February 2020.

www.flickr.com

Let's not forget that the StreetLite is still available (although, judging by some of the opinions expressed here, some would rather forget!)

In fairness by most accounts the newer Streetlites built post-2019 seem to be a lot better. A lot of the disdain for the Streetlite does seem to stem more from the fact it's popular with enthusiasts to dislike them more than anything else, they're not really any worse than an equivalent age Enviro200 or Optare product.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

In fairness by most accounts the newer Streetlites built post-2019 seem to be a lot better. A lot of the disdain for the Streetlite does seem to stem more from the fact it's popular with enthusiasts to dislike them more than anything else, they're not really any worse than an equivalent age Enviro200 or Optare product.

Have to agree with a chunk of this. No one would say (or should say) that the Streetlite is some exemplar of bus travel. They're no B10BLE or Citaro. However, given the reactions from some enthusiasts, you'd think that they were the worst vehicle ever constructed. Perhaps it's recency bias but having grown up on a diet of Bristol LHs, I can assure there's much worse!

The Streetlites really are no worse than some of the e200s I've "enjoyed" especially once they've sorted out the gearboxes.

To get back on-topic, the Solo is a modern classic and remains a workhorse in many a rural operation. Perhaps we will begin to see the Solo EV begin to gain a role though again, it'll be a long wait for rural operations to be able to justify such investment. Sadly, I think it was Caerphilly that was supposed to get a Stagecoach Solo EV fleet but that fell by the wayside with Covid.

 

[JD2168]

Depending on it’s size the new Enviro 100 EV might also be a replacement for some of the Solos.

 

[gingerheid]

I can think of an example of a Solo being replaced by a Sigma 8!

 

[Hullian111]

Let's not forget that the StreetLite is still available (although, judging by some of the opinions expressed here, some would rather forget!)

Like I’ve once said before, I think Wrightbus are really missing the boat by not marketing an EV or FCEV StreetLite for smaller ops/rural areas. Maybe the demand isn’t there quite yet for it, but surely, this is a decent market the manufacturer could explore?

They already have marketed electric Lites for Arriva in Milton Keynes, but they’re, uh… not quite getting about these days.

MK Electrics | Cranfield EV Upcycling

These Streetlites started out their lives just a short hop away in Milton Keynes as prototype EVs. Unfortunately their time in service was short lived and before long they ended up in storage at Cranfield. Since 2020, they have been apart of an investment by the University to upcycle Lithium...

flickr.com

 

[LiviCrazy]

Thanks for the answers. How do the Stratas and Orions compare at speed? Solos mostly seem to be very comfortable whether going around wee neighbourhoods or flying around the Edinburgh Bypass at speed (noisy but powerful).

I’ve never been on either of the ones mentioned, but have seen A couple of the local companies use them, I think Prentice Westwood and Horsburgh maybe had a couple.