Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) will build its first battery-electric double deck buses for the Asia-Pacific region following an order from a Hong Kong operator.
The zero-emission Enviro500EV will carry up to 130 passengers each, ensuring the Kowloon Motor Bus Company (KMB) is able to maintain high capacity along the city’s busy bus routes.
The three-axle, fully air-conditioned double deckers will be delivered to KMB in 2023.
ADL has been at the forefront of bus development in Hong Kong for more than half a century, bringing vehicle air conditioning to the market, as well as low floor access for three and two axle double deckers, before pioneering hybrid and now electric drivelines.
In all these developments, ADL has partnered with KMB, the largest franchised bus operator in Hong Kong.
KMB operates on more than 400 routes with a fleet of about 4,000 buses, most of them double deckers including more than 2,500 diesel-powered Enviro500 buses bought from ADL.
Paul Davies, ADL President & Managing Director, said: “We are delighted that KMB is continuing its commitment to innovation by choosing ADL for the development of an electric double decker that will meet Hong Kong’s demanding operational requirements, which are among the toughest in the world.
“With the next generation of electric bus technology, fully integrated by our own engineers, we are now in a position to deliver a zero emission solution for Hong Kong’s world class transport system.”
