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+--- Thread: Fully Electric Decker (/showthread.php?tid=3438)
RE: Fully Electric Decker - Rapidsnap - 06 Jul 2021
I asked Martijn the other day about this and the vehicle was down Farnborough for a bus event for a few days, and should be returning soon to resume trials with Go North East.
RE: Fully Electric Decker - streetdeckfan - 06 Jul 2021
(06 Jul 2021, 5:46 pm)Rapidsnap I asked Martijn the other day about this and the vehicle was down Farnborough for a bus event for a few days, and should be returning soon to resume trials with Go North East.I was gonna say, there was a big fuss about them trialling an EV on the 21, then all went silent
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Fully Electric Decker - transportintyneandwear - 20 Jul 2021
Optare Metrodecker is back out today
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RE: Fully Electric Decker - Rapidsnap - 17 Aug 2021
The Optare MetroDecker EV has now departed Go North East and has now turned up in Dublin for demonstration with the Transport Authority over there.
RE: Fully Electric Decker - Keeiajs - 17 Aug 2021
(17 Aug 2021, 9:48 pm)Rapidsnap The Optare MetroDecker EV has now departed Go North East and has now turned up in Dublin for demonstration with the Transport Authority over there.How many journeys did it do? Like 5
I may be making this up but did I read somewhere GNE is only buying electric double deckers from now on?
RE: Fully Electric Decker - Train8261 - 17 Aug 2021
Never got a chance to ride it. Manged to see it at the depot but not in service
RE: Fully Electric Decker - Malarkey - 18 Aug 2021
(17 Aug 2021, 10:14 pm)Keeiajs How many journeys did it do? Like 5
I may be making this up but did I read somewhere GNE is only buying electric double deckers from now on?
Just been looking at the various "Electric Deckers" on the market and their battery range in terms of miles, currently the Streetdeck Electroliner has the largest ahead of the yet to be released E400FCEV from Alexander Dennis which a huge 300 Mile Range, personally for me in terms of fleet standardisation and familiarity with the Streetdeck i'd expect Go North East to order these over the other options currently available as shown below.
Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 FCEV - 300 Miles Range
Wright Streetdeck Electroliner - 200 Miles Range
Switch Mobility (Optare Metrodecker) -190 Mile Range
Alexander Dennis E400 ER -188 Miles Range
BYD E400EV - 160 Mile Range
RE: Fully Electric Decker - grandad - 19 Aug 2021
(17 Aug 2021, 10:14 pm)Keeiajs How many journeys did it do? Like 5I think the statement was 'no more diesel 'deckers
I may be making this up but did I read somewhere GNE is only buying electric double deckers from now on?
RE: Fully Electric Decker - Keeiajs - 19 Aug 2021
(19 Aug 2021, 3:39 pm)grandad I think the statement was 'no more diesel 'deckersWonder how GNE Feels about Hydrogen.
RE: Fully Electric Decker - streetdeckfan - 19 Aug 2021
(19 Aug 2021, 3:58 pm)Keeiajs Wonder how GNE Feels about Hydrogen.
Assuming they can get a supply of Hydrogen, I'd say it's probably better for most of their routes than going BEV. It offers better energy density, so in theory it can have a considerably longer range for the same weight.
The 'recharge' time is also considerably faster than BEVs, almost as fast as diesel.
The downside of course is the efficiency, it 'costs' electricity to make hydrogen, and then to convert it back to electricity. I believe efficiency is somewhere around the 30% mark, but the increase in density more than outweighs that.
Plus, if the initial electricity for creating the hydrogen is from renewables such as solar, then it is still very clean.
RE: Fully Electric Decker - BusLoverMum - 19 Aug 2021
(19 Aug 2021, 3:58 pm)Keeiajs Wonder how GNE Feels about Hydrogen.It's probably more viable for longer distance services than electric.
RE: Fully Electric Decker - Adrian - 23 Aug 2021
(19 Aug 2021, 4:25 pm)streetdeckfan Assuming they can get a supply of Hydrogen, I'd say it's probably better for most of their routes than going BEV. It offers better energy density, so in theory it can have a considerably longer range for the same weight.
The 'recharge' time is also considerably faster than BEVs, almost as fast as diesel.
The downside of course is the efficiency, it 'costs' electricity to make hydrogen, and then to convert it back to electricity. I believe efficiency is somewhere around the 30% mark, but the increase in density more than outweighs that.
Plus, if the initial electricity for creating the hydrogen is from renewables such as solar, then it is still very clean.
Yes, supply is one problem. Though the Government are doing some work on the feasibility of transporting it via the existing pipeline networks: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/POST-PN-0645/POST-PN-0645.pdf
Having recently tried the Hydrogen deckers in Aberdeen, I have to say they are effortless, and I'd love to see operators seriously look at these as an alternative. But here's the second problem - they're supposedly £500,000 per bus, or at least according to Route One: https://www.route-one.net/news/aberdeen-hydrogen-streetdecks-to-enter-service-on-28-january/
As with electric buses, the shelf price is still not feasible compared to a standard Euro 6 diesel bus. Until the Government invest seriously into research and development of green vehicles, in order to reduce production costs and timescales, then you're just not going to get the investment. We cannot constantly have a situation whereby investment only comes with significant grants by the Government.
Fully Electric Decker - atlantean560 - 23 Aug 2021
Well having been on the York park and ride Switch/Optare deckers, have to say very impressed with ride quality and acceleration, would probably be great on short routes but probably not for the 21.
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RE: Fully Electric Decker - Keeiajs - 28 Aug 2021
The diesel buses bought this year will be the last NEW Diesel's GNE will ever get. That is sad.
Ne14ne1 - ne14ne1 - 28 Aug 2021
(28 Aug 2021, 9:48 pm)Keeiajs The diesel buses bought this year will be the last NEW Diesel's GNE will ever get. That is sad.
Excellent! Progress.
RE: Ne14ne1 - L469 YVK - 29 Aug 2021
(28 Aug 2021, 10:00 pm)ne14ne1 Excellent! Progress.I doubt they'll purchase any new diesel deckers this year for that matter though.
What options are available on the market? If GNE successfully won the Durham - Consett EV bid (and the vehicles were low height), would they also trial the EV technology on the 47/X45/X46 & X30/X72 during evenings / Sundays?
RE: Fully Electric Decker - streetdeckfan - 29 Aug 2021
(28 Aug 2021, 9:48 pm)Keeiajs The diesel buses bought this year will be the last NEW Diesel's GNE will ever get. That is sad.
I honestly can't see that being the case. The price of non-diesel vehicles (be it BEV or HEV) puts them way out of reach for most routes.
Don't forget, the relatively small Yutong E10 costs around £400k each, but a larger Enviro 200 or Streetlite is only around £160k. Even a fully loaded StreetDeck/Enviro 400 is only £250k.
Plus there's the matter of range.
Take the X21 for example, some vehicles on that route do 280+ miles a day, which wouldn't be possible with current Electric or Hydrogen deckers, which have a max range of 250-300 miles.
Looking at the X45/X46, it looks like they're doing around 250 miles a day.
A diesel StreetDeck has a hypothetical range of around 450 miles
Even looking at the likes of the 19, from some quick calculations it looks as though they're doing around 250 miles a day, and the dreaded 42A doing around 180-200 miles.
Obviously, with they can upgrade the more profitable routes with EVs (like the 21) which would cascade 16 basically new StreetDecks to other routes, but there's only so many they can upgrade before they run out of routes they can afford to upgrade!