Wrightbus launches two new electric buses

Partnership with King Long sees small buses brought to UK and two new truck models revealed

Wrightbus has revealed two new battery electric single-deckers, in 6m and 9m variants. They are joined by the launch of two trucks, a 7.5 tonne in left-hand and right-hand drive.

The new vehicles are being launched under the Ballymena-based manufacturer’s new Rightech brand, with the aim of selling across the UK, Ireland and Europe.

The buses are produced by Chinese manufacturer King Long, with specifications and other fittings installed in the UK by Wrightbus. Power for both comes from CATL batteries, mounted in the vehicles’ roofs. Rightech has already secured orders for these vehicles across the target territories, including one sold in England to an undisclosed operator.

The King Long buses will fall under the manufacturer’s All Service One aftermarket service. The company has expanded its support mobile service considerably and plans to continue to do so across Europe. It can also leverage Ryze Power, a venture owned by Wrightbus owner Jo Bamford, to arrange infrastructure needed to operate the vehicles, such as charging equipment. Flexible financing and asset ownership options are also available.

Despite the partnership with King Long, Wrightbus continues to produce its range of larger diesel, electric and hydrogen buses as normal.

Wrightbus did not give a price for the new buses at the launch, saying the price depends on what specifications are fitted. They are available for order immediately, with a lead time of four to five months, depending on specifications and shipping times from China.

Wrightbus is not planning to keep any of these new vehicles in stock.

Both the 6m and 9m buses are monocoque welded structures.

CEO, Jean-Marc Gales, said the move would give Wrightbus an added advantage over pure Asian imports which had never previously been supported by dedicated OEM sales and marketing teams, 24/7 service network, telematics software and route optimisation tools.

All new products will be supported by a Wrightbus warranty, service and maintenance package, comprising the largest fleet of mobile technicians in the UK. Rightech has also struck a service agreement with Sapphire for the UK, adding 14 regional workshops to the existing three operated by Wrightbus – Ballymena, Bicester and Warwick. For Europe, Rightech has signed four LOIs with service providers in Germany, France and Benelux, in addition to the Wrightbus regional service headquarters in Brühl.

Ryze Power, part of a portfolio of net zero companies run by Wrightbus owner Jo Bamford, will provide charging infrastructure and expertise, while W-Tech, the technology and research centre set up by Wrightbus in conjunction with Queen’s University Belfast, will help bus and truck operators optimise routes for ultimate efficiency within the fleet.

The launch follows a period of record growth for Wrightbus, which was named the fastest-growing bus manufacturer in Europe and now boasts 2,200 employees, with factories in Northern Ireland and Malaysia and service centres in the UK, Northern Ireland and Germany.

A strategic framework agreement with two Chinese manufacturers provides the basis for the new products, though Wrightbus engineers have spent more than 30,000 hours bringing the fleet up to the Wrightbus standard – independently testing, homologating, designing and validating every element.

“…we want to be a global mobility business and to do this we need to broaden our product portfolio” – CEO, Jean-Marc Gales

Mr Gales, who has spent four decades working across the automotive sector in trucks, cars and buses, added: “Wrightbus has been flying the flag for zero-emissions long before anyone else. Our hydrogen double-decker was the world’s first and we have 1,700 electric buses on the road, covering millions of miles across the UK and Europe with an in-service availability of 98.6%.

43% of every Wrightbus comes from suppliers in the UK. It directly employs more than 2,200 people in the UK with a further 6,600 jobs in the supply chain. This trend will continue.

However, we want to be a global mobility business and to do this we need to broaden our product portfolio. Our factory continues to increase production of full-size single and double-deck buses but to meet demand in the zero-emission midi-bus sector this partnership makes sense. The quickest way to decarbonise truck and bus fleets is to electrify immediately.

Rightech will solve these problems, backed by our portfolio of net-zero companies – supplying everything from product to infrastructure – which will provide more jobs and opportunities for our workforce in Northern Ireland, the rest of the UK and Europe.”

RB6 6m BEV bus

6m single-decker

Capacity: 10 seated, 12 standees

Battery: 89kWh

Range: 122 miles

Charge time: 37 minutes (20% to 80%)

Expected TCO: 11 times better than diesel

Air suspension: ZF WABCO ECAS

Brake system: ZF WABCO EB3

Air conditioning: 12kW for heating and cooling

RB9 9m BEV bus

9m single-decker

Capacity: 57 passengers

Battery: 282kWh

Range: 187 miles

Charge time: 1 hour, 24 minutes (20% to 80%)

Expected TCO: seven times better than diesel

Warranty

Vehicle: two years 125,000 miles

Drive: five years/187,500 miles

Battery: eight years/375,000 miles

  • For even more on these buses and more on Wrightbus (including details on the hydrogen coach in development), see our next issue of Bus and Coach Buyer (issue 1696, 7 February). 

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