Together with Volvo Buses UK-based manufacturer Alexander Dennis is exploring the development of a tram-style electric bus for the UK market, to support rapid transit solutions. The Volvo BZL Electric articulated chassis is designed for high-capacity urban and interurban applications and supports a vehicle length of around 18 metres for the proposed Enviro Max, as the new tram-style vehicle will be called.
As part of a feasibility study, Volvo Buses has made its BZL Electric articulated chassis available to Alexander Dennis. The articulated chassis is a higher-capacity format of Volvo’s BZL Electric rigid platform. Richard Mann, Sales Director at Volvo Bus UK & Ireland, said: “Following the successful introduction of the Volvo BZL Electric articulated chassis in Australia earlier this year, we are now exploring with Alexander Dennis how this proven electric platform could support a tram-inspired product tailored to the UK market.” The articulated chassis supports a complete vehicle length of around 18 metres for the proposed Enviro Max body configuration. It offers a permitted gross vehicle weight of 30,000 kg and is powered by Volvo’s EPT802 dual-motor driveline, delivering up to 400 kW of
output and 850 Nm of torque, through a two-speed automated manual transmission. The chassis can be specified with up to 12 lithium-iron-phosphate battery packs, providing up to 530 kWh of installed energy, with charging options including CCS2 plugs at up to 250 kW and OppCharge pantographs at up to 450 kW. Paul Davies, President and Managing Director at Alexander Dennis, said: “This feasibility work gives us an opportunity to consider how our experience in designing and building buses could be combined with Volvo Buses’ electric chassis technology. As part of this, we will be able to draw on the extensive experience that our NFI Group sister company New Flyer has with articulated buses.“