Dublin Bus fleet

What is the future of the Dublin Bus fleet?

Forgot to add to this, the future is lots of Electric buses. The NTA placed a framework agreement for 800 EW/D class buses with Wrights over 8 years. So far they have placed firm orders for 421 EW/D class buses.

Now that doesn't mean they will go ahead with the complete 800, but if they were to swap along the way, it would be just to one of the other Electric Double Decker buses.

The stated goal is to move the low and zero emissions fleet by 2032 and a zero emissions fleet by 2035.

It sounds like you haven’t been on an EW yet? They are amazingly smooth, almost Luas like smoothness! Non of the rattle of the Diesel engine, quiet and smooth with great acceleration, but perhaps a little too sharp braking. All the weight of the batteries I’d guess helps with the smoothness, stability and soaking up the bumpiness of the road.

Not that there perfect of course, seemingly been some issues for drivers, hopefully they can be sorted. But fantastic from a passenger perspective IMO, much better then an AX.

The PA’s can be weird due to being a hybrid, can be initially smooth at take off due to the batteries, but then the Diesel engine kicks in just like any of the other Diesel buses with all the downsides of that and the transition between battery and Diesel can be jarring. I think these transition just makes it more jarring then if it was a straight Diesel as you are more likely to notice it.

I haven’t been on the Enviro200EV’s yet, not many around yet.

As an aside, I watched a review on YouTube of the new BYD Double Deckers that recently entered service in London Bus. Seem great from the passenger experience, very smooth, very quiet and it was noted that they were very warm, much warmer then the old Diesel buses they replaced, which tends to be a problem for some EV buses. Might be an interesting alternative for us in future.

Yes, I was very surprised when they cancelled the PA framework less then half way through the framework and switched to the EW’s.

While it was great news that BEV double deckers were now available earlier then originally thought, it does seem like the depot infrastructure wasn’t ready for them and how much work it would be was underestimated!

While perhaps the full 600 weren’t needed, perhaps if they had kept going for just one or two years more with an extra 100/200 PA’s delivered it would have given them more breathing room to work on upgrading the depots with the charging infrastructure and less reliant on the older buses before switching to the EW’s. Also some of the EW teething issues might have been avoided.

Unfortunately that opportunity has passed now and they need to motor on with fixing the depots and getting the EW’s and EA’s on the road.

I don’t know what is going on with the EA’s, but the story with the ADL BYD Enviro200EV’s seems to be interesting.

They were a joint venture between ADL and BYD but looks like they have separated ways now. ADL have launched a new purely ADL integral version of the 200EV, going so far as switching from using BYD batteries to their biggest competitor CATL LFP batteries instead. CATL is the worlds largest battery manufacturer while BYD are number two.

Meanwhile BYD have launched their own integral BEV Double decker, also using their own LFP blade batteries, the BYD BD11, they have single decker models too.

Some posters might be very interested to note that the also produce the B12D, a 12m BEV tri-axle double decker for Hong Kong (right hand drive). A possible future VT replacement?

I was curious what batteries the Electroliner use. Apparently from a French company Forsee power, though looks like the actual battery cells are made by a Chinese company, CALB, traditional lithium ion NMC.