Equipmake electrifies York bus fleet

Now in service across the city, the Optare Versa singe-deck buses have been re-engineered to incorporate Equipmake’s Zero-Emission Drivetrain (ZED) technology, which features a 274kWh capacity battery, providing a range of 150 miles.  

The roll-out follows a successful trial of an initial converted prototype vehicle, which allowed engineering teams at First York and Equipmake to evaluate its performance and make any final adjustments.

Equipmake repowers are tailored to specific requirements provided by the operator, with service routes simulated to ensure the optimum battery power level is selected to secure driving ranges of 150 to 250 miles. This range is more than sufficient for a complete duty cycle, allowing buses to be recharged faster, overnight and operate for longer during the day.

Ian Foley - CEO, Equipmake

The ZED, which is completely modular and scaleable and can be applied to single as well as double-decker buses, consists of a Equipmake’s in-house developed electric motor, inverter, and power electronics, along with lithium-ion batteries.

It also features an ultra-efficient thermal management system, which maintains the key components at an optimum operating temperature, maximising vehicle range. Underpinned by an advanced water-glycol cooling circuit, the system provides interior heating during cold conditions with captured thermal energy. When the battery is depleted at the end of a complete duty cycle, it can be recharged at the depot overnight via a CSS DC charging point.

According to a statement from Equipmake, each conversion costs less than half of a new electric bus, and with most buses in service for 14 years or more, operators can make significant savings by repowering a bus halfway through its operational life.

“For operators, repowering existing buses offers an excellent opportunity to achieve zero-emission targets, while making significant cost savings in parallel,” said Equipmake CEO Ian Foley.

Commenting on this latest deployment Stuart Eyre, engineering manager of First York, said: “It’s great to see this new fleet of 12 upgraded, all-electric buses operational across York. Equipmake’s repower technology is an important step in our transition to achieving a fully electric fleet in York, continuing to help improve air quality in the city and supporting the goal of First Bus nationally to have a zero-emission fleet by 2035.”