flic.kr
I wonder how long it will take before they all need new batteries…
I wonder why, if the Yutong is such a great product, that First Group has to date still to order it in great numbers other than those for Aberdeen? It appears that First favours Wrightbus products for its English companies and ADL for Scotland at the moment. I am sure other Firstgroup companies have routes very similar in length to 2 in Glasgow. Why?
The Welsh examples were ordered by the Welsh Gov for Traws Cymru. The Leeds examples were purchased in 2020 when there wasn't much variety in electric buses available (although they were still smart enough to avoid BYD and Optare). Why Glasgow has ordered BYDs over Yutongs for this kind of route is difficult to see, other than fleet standardisation.
Supposedly it was the Aberdeen engineering manager that influenced the decision to go for Yutongs based on feedback from other operators.
In all fairness the newer Wrightbus products too are also quite a step up from the existing BYD/ADL offering. It boggles me why any operator would still want to buy a BYD/ADL product with their inferior range and dreadful build quality given all the other products now on the market.
Which is exactly why First don't own the batteries but rather lease them as a service package. Therefor if/when the batteries do degrade the costs of replacement are already covered and they're not hit with a massive bill like many previous operators of EV and Hybrid buses have been.
They probably got a good deal for them.
No sure if it is physically possible, but the Wrightbus Kite can supposedly carry 90 passengers.
Bigger numbers out today.64159 - LG23EWU
Seen at Trongate is brand new First Glasgow Alexander Dennis Enviro 200MMCev electric single decker 64159 - LG23EWU on service 2 to Baillieston.
Interesting to read today that Toyota claim they have cracked the technology to produce batteries at half their current size, weight and cost plus faster charging and longer range. If they achieve this (suggestion is volume production by 2027) then the bus industry can expect to benefit in due course when other manufacturers do the same, or go beyond. I'm old enough to have once travelled on a Glasgow trolleybus (just once, mind) and so it's fascinating to witness the beginning of the end for the traditional diesel bus and the return to "electrics", albeit not a tram or trolley!
I really hope this is true and technology only advances more and more over time.Interesting to read today that Toyota claim they have cracked the technology to produce batteries at half their current size, weight and cost plus faster charging and longer range. If they achieve this (suggestion is volume production by 2027) then the bus industry can expect to benefit in due course when other manufacturers do the same, or go beyond. I'm old enough to have once travelled on a Glasgow trolleybus (just once, mind) and so it's fascinating to witness the beginning of the end for the traditional diesel bus and the return to "electrics", albeit not a tram or trolley!
Don't wish to derail the thread so admin can advise if this story should be posted elsewhere.
Toyota claims battery breakthrough in potential boost for electric cars
Japanese firm believes it could make a solid-state battery with a range of 745 miles that charges in 10 minuteswww.theguardian.com
Anyone from Glasgow knows when the parade is and how to deal with it.
I am pretty sure Glasgow's twitter is handled by a central customer service team in England or it was at one point which is probably the reason for lack of information.
The diversions were on the first website. I checked on Saturday.
What I don't understand is why didn't they go for more E400EVs for the 2 and 3.
Believe me when I say this.
Probably Enviro 300’s.
A number of E300s are to go off lease. I believe the ex-FSE E400MMCs are due to go to Essex along with the remaining YN08 B9TLs. I imagine there may be some more movements but that could all change.
Sluggish pieces of…
Probably because they don't make enough of a financial return to warrant new vehicles and they wont be the only operator in that situation.
And yet they seem pretty good on the motorway.
Essex received around 10 brand new StreetLites earlier in the year. Their last brand new double deckers arrived in 2019.
The engines are screaming on the motorway.
I am sure 33994 & 5 are going today or tomorrow. I tried to edit it on bustimes.org but it had been disapproved.