Irizar electrics for London

Irizar and Go-Ahead have signed an agreement for two Irizar i2e electric buses to be put into operation in London from the end of July. The buses will go on routes 507 (Waterloo station to Victoria Station) and 521 (Waterloo Station to London Bridge Station). The 12m buses feature a continuous low floor and two double doors with an electric ramp located at the centre door. The electric motor has 180kW of power and the batteries have 282kWh of storage, which give the buses a range of between 160km and 180km under typical London traffic conditions. As a new feature, they also incorporate a heating/cooling unit for the driver area and anti-vandalism locks. In line with TfL specifications, they have 26 seats and one wheelchair space, giving a total passenger capacity of 60.

Go-Ahead London’s Engineering Director, Richard Harrington, said, ‘London’s buses are in the process of being transformed into the most environmentally friendly fleet in the world. We were the first operator in the capital to run pure electric vehicles and 18 months of reliable service has proved this form of power is a viable solution. Irizar’s entry into this market is welcome and I look forward to working with them to deliver benefits to all Londoners.’
Irizar UK Director, Steve O’Neill, said, ‘Our new Bus Project Manager, John Horn, has brought his vast experience in bus sales in the UK to Irizar’s bus team in Spain to ensure these vehicles are appropriate for the London operating environment, and we are confident they will continue the success in Europe. Going forward, we expect to see rapid development of i2e sales in the UK, with a number of local authorities showing an interest in running emissions-free buses in urban and metropolitan areas.’