Falcon Buses takes delivery of its brand-new Alexander Dennis Enviro200EV electric buses

As we reported earlier, Falcon Buses, which operates in Surrey in southern England, is the first independent, privately owned transport company to put Alexander Dennis’s new-generation single-deck solo electric bus, the Enviro200EV — unveiled in physical form this January — into service. The official handover ceremony for the 13-vehicle batch was held on 9 July in front of the Brooklands Museum in Weybridge, a particularly fitting venue, as it showcases the most significant achievements from more than a century of British automotive and aerospace history.

The 10.9-metre-long electric buses, built with a 2-0-0 door arrangement (with an emergency exit door on the right-hand side in the direction of travel), have a low-entry saloon fitted, to Falcon Buses’ specification, with 37 partly leather-upholstered passenger seats, as well as space for two wheelchairs or pushchairs. The interior’s smart appearance is enhanced by wood-effect plastic flooring, while passenger comfort is supported, among other features, by full air-conditioning for both the driver’s cab and saloon, as well as USB charging sockets at every seat. The efficient heat-pump system of the air-conditioning unit is also responsible for thermal management of the traction batteries and the VEDS electric driveline that powers the vehicles — the brand name of which changed last year from Voith to Driventic. The fleet was procured under the UK government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA 2) programme, after Falcon Buses, together with Surrey County Council, successfully applied for the necessary government funding. The lightweight vehicles — fitted with “small-wheeled” running gear with 19.5-inch wheels and around two tonnes lighter than similarly sized market rivals — are quiet and environmentally friendly, and will enter service on local routes 436 (Weybridge–Woking) and 461 (Kingston–Weybridge–Addlestone–St. Peter’s Hospital), according to plans later in July. Over their full service life, they are estimated to spare their immediate environment some 13,000 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions.

The vehicles now delivered are also Falcon Buses’ first fully electric buses. Richard Telling, managing director of the family-owned company, said that the new generation of the Enviro200EV was selected as the first electric type for their fleet at an earlier Alexander Dennis event held at the Millbrook proving ground, where he personally took a great liking to the vehicle, especially its futuristic appearance and fresh design language. The contract for the 13-vehicle order was signed at the 2024 Euro Bus Expo in Birmingham. Falcon Buses has in any case maintained a close relationship with the British bus manufacturer for a long time: its fleet currently includes 58 diesel-powered examples of the previous generation Enviro200, meaning that this type essentially forms the backbone of the fleet.

The electric charging infrastructure serving the vehicles, with a 1,500 kVA power supply — comprising six 60 kW and three 120 kW plug-in chargers — was installed at the operator’s West Byfleet depot by VEV, which specialises in electric commercial vehicle fleets. The system will soon be expanded further: plans call for the depot’s capabilities to be supplemented later this year with an additional five 120 kW chargers, five more 60 kW units and two 50 kW charging units, in preparation for Falcon Buses’ long-term electrification goals.

Photos: Alexander Dennis Ltd.