(04 May 2021, 1:27 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Ideally we’d have Euro 6 hybrids (if not zero emission vehicles) for all new non-express purchases, rather than Euro 6 diesel-only with stop/start.
Like you say new hybrids would idle and travel for periods on battery power reducing emission & noise pollution in our towns and cities. They’d give a much more peaceful experience for the passengers too, and drivers seem to report a smoother drive & more instant torque.

Of course unlike in Central London, operators aren’t stipulated to purchase/operate hybrids here, so they aren’t chosen due to the higher purchase (& maintenance?) costs. Instead we spend the money on frills and creature comforts in attempt to increase customer numbers.

It does sound like a backwards step for operators to be removing these earlier generation hybrid systems & turning the vehicle into a diesel-only system, but if it reduces emission output then it’s a good thing.
As we’ve discussed before unfortunately these Gemini2 hybrids didn’t last very long in electric-only mode and then momentarily lost momentum while switching over to the Diesel engine.
Some Gemini3 hybrids would be very welcome though.
I can dream.

Speaking of hybrids etc, I wonder how that trial Enviro400MMC is doing in Brighton which runs on diesel, and then switches to electric mode when it reaches the geofence of town/city centres.

Would've been more interesting if the B5LH's would've been converted to being fully electric rather than diesel but I imagine the cost for this would've been extremely high.