Ireland’s National Transport Authority (NTA) has today announced an order for 120 double-deck battery-electric buses from Wrightbus, Ballymena.
These 120 buses are part of a framework agreement which provides for the procurement of up to 800 zero-emission battery-electric buses over a period of five years.
The buses – Streetdeck Electroliner BEVs – will be manufactured and assembled at the Wrightbus facility in Galgorm, on the outskirts of Ballymena in Northern Ireland.
The framework agreement now in place between the NTA and Wrightbus has the potential to be the single biggest bus procurement in the history of the State.
These will be the first battery-electric double-deck buses to be added to the national bus fleet in Ireland and their addition will deliver a significant uplift in the proportion of low- or zero-emission buses within that fleet.
This historic deal is a major component of the overall strategy to build a sustainable future by decarbonising Ireland’s PSO public transport fleet, and is in line with a number of key national policy directives.
As they incorporate a fully battery-electric powertrain, the buses will operate with zero tailpipe-emissions, which will contribute to a substantial improvement in air quality in the cities and towns in which they are deployed.
This initial order for 120 buses represents an investment of some €80.4m.
Commissioning and training activities will get under way later this year, as will work on installing the necessary charging infrastructure. The first buses are expected to enter passenger service in 2023.
Passenger facilities onboard include:
seating for up to 65 passengers;
a permanent wheelchair space;
a dedicated area for the accommodation of a pram, pushchair or buggy;
prominent and distinctive priority seating;
high-definition real-time passenger information displays;
USB charging sockets; and
complimentary Wi-Fi.
Irish Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan said:
“We know that decarbonising transport is imperative, as part of our effort to tackle climate change. Public transport because it is shared mobility is already a far more sustainable and economical way of getting around, particularly compared to a private car that runs on fossil fuel, and the battery-electric buses that we are now ordering, will accelerate the transition to a zero-emission fleet.
“Going electric will reduce the carbon footprint of our public transport fleet, and will help us reach our long-term climate goals, as outlined in the Climate Action Plan. These new electric buses will also help reduce air pollution, improve public health and improve access to public transport for people of all abilities.
“I welcome today’s announcement and look forward to seeing cleaner and greener buses in operation in our cities”.
Neil Collins, Managing Director of Wrightbus, concluded:
“We are extremely proud of this historic deal, which is hugely significant for Ireland’s decarbonisation ambitions and for us here at Wrightbus.
“This deal further cements the reputation we have built in the zero-emission sector, and follows hot on the heels of historic deals in Australia and Germany. This shows our ambition to be at the forefront of the zero emission drive in cities, towns and rural areas across the world.”
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