After a successful first round of repowered buses from electrification engineering specialist Equipmake, the Golden Tours sightseeing and tourism company in the U.K. has decided to retrofit even more vehicles, as Renewable Energy Magazine reported.
Ten more of the company's traditionally gas-guzzling Volvo B5 London tour buses with new zero-emission drivetrains are expected to be delivered in the coming months.
"This new contract is testament to the quality and reliability of our products and reflects an increasing move in the sector toward sustainable operational alternatives," said Equipmake CEO Ian Foley, per Renewable Energy Magazine.
Foley stated that this venture "provides an economically compelling alternative to purchasing new electric vehicles and we are delighted that we can support Golden Tours as it works to make its fleet sustainable."
Equipmake's repowering service is also an efficient and timely solution since new electric bus fleets can often arrive in a couple of years.
By repurposing the chassis and body rather than building a new bus, the retrofit can also save around 100 tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the atmosphere, per the article.
In California, the Union of Concerned Scientists noted that electric buses had 70% less toxic emissions than their diesel or natural gas counterparts.
A study in Austin, Texas, found that electric buses are $73,000 to $173,000 cheaper to operate over their lifetimes because of savings in fuel and maintenance costs.
The repowered Golden Tours buses will feature specially designed electric motors and lithium-ion batteries, according to Renewable Energy Magazine. There's also an innovative thermal management system that will keep everything at optimal temperatures and thereby maximize range. When the batteries need recharging, they get topped up using CCS DC fast chargers at the depot.
This is not the first change London has made to reduce air pollution. A report from late 2023 found that the city's ultralow emission zone — which levies a fee upon gas-powered vehicles — led to a significant reduction in road traffic particulate matter pollution over a three-year period.
Other major cities, like New York, understand the need to transition to more eco-friendly vehicles in a crowded metropolis. Its goal is to transition to a zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040, with charging infrastructure plans already in the works.
"By extending our relationship with Equipmake, Golden Tours is ensuring its operations are as sustainable as possible," Golden Tours Managing Director Mikesh Palan shared in the article.
"We look forward to bringing these electric buses into service and continuing to put sustainability at the forefront of our business strategy."
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