UK engineering specialist Equipmake has doubled its fleet repowering agreement with Big Bus Tours, extending the deal to a fleet of 20 vehicles.
This follows on from an initial contract with the world’s largest sightseeing company –announced in September 2023 – to repower 10 double-deck, open-top buses with its electric zero emission electric drivetrain technology.
All 20 vehicles are Ankai double-deck sightseeing buses – and each will be converted to incorporate Equipmake’s Zero-Emission Drivetrain (ZED) technology, which in this specification features a 327kWh capacity battery, providing a 120-mile daily range.
Its entire repowered fleet will be delivered by January 2025, with three buses delivered by May 2024, and two per month thereafter.
The first is set to enter service in the first quarter of 2024.
According to Equipmake, repurposing an existing bus chassis and body can save 90 tonnes of embedded CO2, in comparison to producing brand new electric double deck buses.
Each conversion costs less than half of a new electric bus, and with most buses in service for 14 years or more, operators can make savings by repowering a bus halfway through its operational life.
Ian Foley, CEO of Equipmake, said: “Our industry-leading integrated zero emission drivetrain system continues to impress new and existing customers, as evidenced by the extension of this contract with Big Bus Tours.
“This agreement will double the size of its fully electric, repowered fleet, demonstrating both the quality and efficacy of our state-of-the-art technology, and the level of investment being made across the transport sector as it moves towards a net zero future.”
