First Bus withdraws electric buses amid ‘structural issues’

Manufacturers Alexander Dennis have now launched a review to identify the cause. It comes after the issue was highlighted in December.

First Bus has said the issue is “completely unrelated” to the electric transport technology. 

The 30 buses are part of an order of 50 which hold batteries designed to run for over 370km (229 miles) from a single three-hour charge.

READ MORE: Glasgow commuters stranded as freezing weather plagues electric buses

A First Bus spokesperson said: “We have identified a technical failure in 30 buses and all affected buses have been taken off service until it can be resolved.

“We are working closely with the manufacturer Alexander Dennis to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.

“Our team have worked incredibly hard to reallocate low emission zone (LEZ) compliant Euro VI buses from our fleet across the UK.”

A spokesman for Alexander Dennis, who built the buses at its manufacturing base in Larbert at a cost of £19.7m, said: “A structural issue has been identified on some BYD AD Enviro200EV electric buses built in 2021.

“The affected vehicles have been removed from service as a precaution. Alexander Dennis is fully supporting the customer and, along with BYD as the relevant component manufacturer, has developed a rectification which is being applied to all affected vehicles to resolve the issue.”

Services which the fleet covers across Glasgow are continuing to run as normal, with the buses replaced by ultra-low emission diesel buses from across the UK.

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