First makes order for Wrightbus re-powers
NewPower – the Wrightbus re-power business – has received its first order from First Bus to have 30 vehicles swapped from diesel to battery-electric.
NewPower was launched just weeks ago by world-leading bus manufacturer Wrightbus. It is the first OEM to offer a repowering service to help speed up the decarbonisation process by eradicating diesel powertrains in older fleets at a substantially lower price than purchasing a new bus.
First Bus collaborated with Wrightbus from the outset of this project providing an initial two vehicles to trial and perfect the technology ahead of the launch of NewPower. Following the successful conversion of the first two diesel vehicles, First Bus has now ordered a further 30 repowers from the Bicester factory, Oxfordshire.
Collectively, when the 32 repowered Zero Emission Buses enter service, they will eliminate 2,100 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually. First Bus has committed to ensuring its entire fleet is zero-emission by 2035. The 32 repowered buses will be introduced over the next few months in areas with existing EV infrastructure in Portsmouth, Norwich, Bramley (Leeds), Leicester and Aberdeen; joining a growing EV fleet of over 600 vehicles already serving customers across the First Bus UK network.
NewPower converts diesel buses into electric for less than half of the price of a new electric bus – extending their lifespan by up to ten years in the process. As a result, there are significant embedded carbon savings of refurbishing an older vehicle over manufacturing a new vehicle.
Repowers can be completed in as little as three weeks. The process includes the removal of the engine, gearbox, fuel tank, radiator and other components, before the installation of the new EV batteries and electric drive system from Voith. The diesel parts are then reused.
R-to-L: Jean-Marc Gales, Robert Best and Graham Hamlyn
This initial order is an important step for both NewPower and First Bus moving forward. Wrightbus CEO, Jean-Marc Gales, said: “At Wrightbus, we already have a positive relationship with First Bus, having supplied them with numerous zero-emission buses over recent years. That’s why it’s particularly satisfying to receive NewPower’s first order from them,” he said.
“By using the expertise of our 1,800-strong Wrightbus workforce – including our master technicians – NewPower has unrivalled expertise in being able to swap powertrains. Once back in service, the repowered buses will have an immediate impact on reducing pollution and improving air quality in the towns and cities in which they operate.”
First Bus’ Decarbonisation Programme Director, Faizan Ahmad, said: “We are thrilled to place this order for an additional 30 repowered buses and to continue our collaboration with Wrightbus on this exciting project.
“We’ve partnered with the NewPower team from the outset of this initiative and are proud to be a driving force in the zero-emission space once again with another innovative solution.
“We are committed to achieving a fully electric bus fleet by 2035, and repower technology has the potential to be a real game-changer in helping us reach that goal as well as benefiting the wider bus industry as we work to decarbonise the sector.”
Launched in June 2024 in part of the former Arrival factory in Oxfordshire, NewPower provides an instant solution to decarbonising public transport.
Initially creating 22 jobs but with 65 staff expected on site by the end of the year, NewPower is the dynamic new arm of Wrightbus which built the world’s first hydrogen bus and the iconic London Routemaster.
It follows a record-breaking start to 2024 for Wrightbus which has seen the Northern Ireland business named as the fastest-growing large manufacturer in the UK and the fastest-growing bus-maker in the whole of Europe. Wrightbus has also sold more buses in the UK in 2024 than any other manufacturer.