Four electric buses land in Edinburgh as part of £1.7 million project

Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) and BYD UK have supplied four zero-emission double-decker buses to Lothian Buses in Edinburgh.

ADL and BYD’s their electric vehicle partnership, the UK’s leading electric bus producer, has been funded as a £1.7millio flagship project of SP Energy Networks’ £20m Green Economy Fund.

The four BYD ADL Enviro400EV buses were built locally by ADL in Falkirk, and Lothian Buses will use the electric buses, each of which is 10.8m long and has seats for up to 72 passengers, on its route 10 between Leith, Edinburgh city centre and Bonaly.

According to ADL, the buses will enable Edinburgh to take a major step in its journey towards the city becoming Net Zero by 2030 and will also help improve the city’s air quality and reducing pollution.

Paul Davies, president and managing director of ADL, said: “These new electric buses take our collaboration with Lothian Buses to the next step by further reducing emissions and improving air quality while continuing to reinvest in the Scottish economy and local communities where we assemble our buses. The BYD ADL partnership’s combination of BYD’s proven battery technology and ADL’s world-class focus on vehicle specification ensures that drivers, engineers and passengers alike will love these buses.”

ADL is a subsidiary of leading independent global bus manufacturer NFI Group Inc. (NFI), while BYD is a global leader in batteries, energy management and electric mobility. SP Energy Networks is part of the ScottishPower group, a Principal Partner for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held in Glasgow in four months’ time. Through the Green Economy Fund, SP Energy Networks is investing in the communities that it serves to support the UK and Scottish governments’ green energy ambitions.

Nigel Serafini, Interim Managing Director at Lothian Buses, said: “Across the last decade, Lothian has removed around 15,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from our carbon footprint through our fleet replacement strategies, and the introduction of Edinburgh’s first fully-electric double-decker buses allows us to continue on this journey, further reducing our impact on the environment. These new buses are fitted with the most advanced zero-emissions technology and the introduction of these vehicles across our Service 10 further cements our commitment to meet the requirements of the Scottish Government and The City of Edinburgh Council’s climate change strategies. We’re delighted to have been able to partner with SP Energy Networks’ Green Economy Fund on this project and look forward to working with them again in the future.”