Electric coach lands from Yutong
Pelican Bus & Coach has announced the arrival in the UK of the first electric coach to be offered to UK and Irish operators. Named the TCe12, it joins the GT12, TC12 and TC9 in the Yutong coach range.
The TCe12 is an evolution of the ICe12 electric intercity coach already in service in Paris where Flixbus and Keolis have operated over 50 for nearly two years. The interior has been completely re-designed to a luxury coach specification and now built in right-hand drive. The base vehicle and driveline is unchanged. The single electric motor driveline and control system is the same as that used in the E10 and E12 buses.
The TCe12 will carry 49 passengers and guide and comes with front and centre passenger doors. The centre doors and floor section are designed to allow the fitment of a slot-in wheelchair lift and wheelchair space if required. It has 258Kwh of battery capacity and can be charged with either a 60Kwh or 120Kwh DC charger making a full charge possible in less than two hours, according to Pelican. Like all Yutong electrics, the battery cells are packed into secure waterproof steel modular packs for safety and security.
The passenger seats are the same as those in the GT12 and come in half-leather trim with USB charging facility. Up to 5 cubic metres of luggage storage is available and all lights are LED.
Priced at £305,000 + VAT, the coach is primarily aimed at operators with prestige work within cities with established or impending Clean Air Zones. It is anticipated that electric charging costs should be less than 25% of the equivalent diesel cost. A TCe12 will be shown on the Pelican stand at Coach & Bus 2019 in Birmingham.
Westway to operate three of them
The first three TCe12’s have been ordered by Westway Coaches of London. David West, Westway’s MD, said: “We are delighted to be the first operator to purchase the TCe12. As we move into the next decade more and more parts of London and other major cities will become accessible only to zero emission vehicles. We already operate six Yutong coaches and are very confident in the excellent aftersales support from Pelican.”