(19 Oct 2024, 12:15 pm)Storx wrote See not sure I'd offer the Cummins, the D8K isn't a million miles away from it anyway (7.7L I believe).

I'd just have offered only a Volvo B8TL. Personally I don't really see the reason for why the B5TL needs to exist, at all. As when you're down to that territory you'd be better off buying the B5LH which pretty much all the London operators did anyway.

Apart from a few orders in Ireland, the B5TL has sold pretty terribly really and I don't blame operators for not wanting to spend a fortune on a vehicle which is questionably worse than a Streetdeck or Enviro 400 MMC and in cities is worse than the B5LH. It's like the bus which never needed to exist imo.

I definitely agree that the B5TL didn't need to exist, as the B5LH & StreetDeck covered the urban segment very well.

However, operators perhaps liked the E400MMC power option (Cummins ISBe) which was a middle ground between economy vs durability, but not necessarily the E40D chassis or bodywork. That's where a B7TL2 would've come in. Something more fuel efficient than a Volvo B9TL in most circumstances, but still fairly durable. Then maybe the B8TL as an additional offering with the D8K.

Using GNE before COVID as an example if Volvo had've offered a B7TL2 and a B8TL:

2016:
- X21 - B7TL2 Gemimi 3

2017:
- 21 - StreetDeck
- X9/X10 - B8TL Gemini 3

2019:
- Derwentside XLines routes - B7TL2 MCV EvoSeti Low Bridge
- X1 - B7TL2 Gemini 3