2 minute read - 30 November 2022
Wrightbus secures electric bus order from Metroline
Bus operator Metroline has placed an order with Wrightbus for 39 zero-emission buses to support services across London and Hertfordshire.
The new StreetDeck Electroliner battery-electric buses will expand Metroline’s existing electric vehicle fleet and will operate on routes through the boroughs of Brent and Ealing, and Watford, Harrow and Barnet. The new buses will be fully built in Northern Ireland at the Wrightbus facility in Ballymena. The news comes less than a week since Wrightbus announced it had taken on its 1,000th member of staff, just three years after the company was bought out of administration.
Wrightbus says the StreetDeck Electroliner is the world’s most efficient double deck battery-electric bus, following assessments undertaken at the UTAC test facility using the Zemo-accredited Ultra Low Emission Bus (ULEB) test. According to ULEB calculations, the Electroliner also produces 86% less CO2 per km than the Zemo Euro VI diesel baseline.
Wrightbus has secured an order for 39 zero-emission Electroliner buses from Metroline / Picture: Wrightbus
Ben Werth, chief commercial officer at Wrightbus, said: “We are delighted to announce this order from Metroline, further demonstrating their commitment to offering zero-emission public transport. All of the buses will be manufactured and assembled at our Ballymena factory, which means support for jobs in Northern Ireland, and wider across the UK through our domestic supply chain.
“We’re also proud to say our StreetDeck Electroliner BEV is the world’s most efficient double decker battery-electric bus. It’s been a triumphant year for Wrightbus. This order follows a series of historic deals with First Bus, the National Transport Authority (NTA), as well as in Australia and Germany. We’re immensely proud of the reputation we have forged in the zero-emission transport sector and the important role we are playing in the UK’s ambitions for decarbonisation.”
Ian Foster, group engineering director at Metroline, said: “Metroline is extremely pleased to continue our relationship with Wrightbus following the latest additions to our electric vehicle fleet, having previously worked closely with them on our hydrogen bus specification and roll out. Our testing of the new electric vehicle has shown an excellent level of power usage per mile, and we are confident that, working closely with the development team at Wrightbus, these figures will continue to improve. As with the hydrogen bus order, it is essential that wherever possible we purchase vehicles with a high local build content, supporting the UK supply chain backing our own technical expertise in the zero-emissions arena.”