Kleanbus and Lothian Buses sign repower agreement

Lothian Buses, based in Edinburgh and Scotland’s largest municipal bus company, wants to have a zero-emission fleet by 2035. To reach its goal, the operator signed a deal with Kleanbus to repower 18 diesel-powered vehicles, specifically 18 Volvo B5TL.

Kleanbus will be using its advanced modular electric platform. It features “an optimised battery matched to vehicle duty cycle” and Kleanbus’ e-powertrain module (EPM). According to the company, repowering a bus takes only about two weeks and is more cost effective than purchasing new electric buses.

“The need for zero-emission buses from operators is reaching critical levels. In identifying the huge potential of repowering its existing buses with our state-of-the-art electric powertrain, Lothian is setting a leading example with this groundbreaking initiative,” says Joe Tighe, Co-founder and CEO of Kleanbus.

“Working with Kleanbus to upcycle current diesel buses to electric helps us to accelerate our transition to a more environmentally friendly transportation network at pace and accelerate our net zero plan,” adds Colin Barnes, Engineering Director at Lothian.

Kleanbus presented its advanced modular EV platform to quickly turn any bus from ICE to fully electric about a year ago and tested it at the beginning of 2023. It combines proven electric powertrain components from Tier 1 suppliers with their own integration technology and proprietary software.

“Once the e-drivetrain solution has been designed and tested, it takes less than two weeks to repower an individual bus, getting vehicles back in service in as little time as possible,” the company adds.

Lothian Buses is not only retrofitting its existing fleet. A few weeks ago, the operator ordered 50 all-electric double deck buses from Volvo Buses. They have a 200-kW electric motor and a 470-kWh battery for a range of up to 300 kilometres on board. Overnight charging takes three to four hours at Lothian Buses’ Annandale Street depot.

Source: Info via email