Electric Truck Upgraded by Wrightbus
Wrightbus, the leading zero-emissions bus manufacturer in the UK, has taken a significant step forward in its mission to reduce carbon emissions by announcing the completion of its first repowered truck. This move marks an expansion of the company's activities beyond the bus sector.
Based in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, Wrightbus currently employs over 2,300 staff across sites in Northern Ireland, England, Germany, and Malaysia. The company's latest venture, NewPower, is a spin-off unit dedicated to converting diesel vehicles to battery-electric operation. The Bicester facility in England, which is the largest facility of its kind in the UK, will handle all future truck conversions.
The conversion process involves removing the diesel engine and gearbox and replacing them with an electric powertrain. This metamorphosis can be accomplished within four weeks, ensuring a swift transition to zero-emission vehicles.
Operators and fleet managers can have complete confidence that Wrightbus can provide a 360-degree solution, maintaining zero-emission fleets with 98.6% uptime. Each repowered truck covers an average of 50,000 miles per annum, demonstrating the robustness and reliability of the new electric driveline.
More than 90% of the electric driveline for the repowered truck is shared with Wrightbus's existing battery-electric bus products, streamlining the production process and reducing costs. The truck was selected due to its similarities to bus duty cycles, including predictable routes and back-to-base operations.
To ensure smooth operations and maintenance, Wrightbus offers maintenance and aftersales support for its repowered trucks through a mix of mobile service engineers and a partnership with SVS. The company has also partnered with a service team specializing in trucks to complement its growing fleet of mobile service engineers.
Over the past two years, Wrightbus has seen a significant increase in the number of zero-emission buses on the road. Two years ago, the figure was 200, and last year, it was over 900. This year, the company expects to have over 3,000 zero-emission buses on the road.
Despite the growth in the bus sector, the truck sector is lagging behind, with less than 1% of the sector switching to EV. Year-to-date sales of new buses in the UK are 75% zero-emission, but trucks are yet to follow suit. The expansion of Wrightbus's repowering activities is expected to create 160 new jobs in the UK over the next two years, potentially accelerating the shift towards zero-emission trucks.
In addition to its repowering division, NewPower, Wrightbus has developed the first hydrogen double-decker bus and continues to supply both battery-electric and hydrogen vehicles to public transport operators. The company's commitment to reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable transport solutions is evident in its diverse portfolio and innovative approach.
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