Rightech : State-of-the-art EV Buses Hit the Streets of Ken
A pivotal order for the first Rightech buses - the EV brand launched by market-leading bus manufacturer Wrightbus at the start of the year - has been announced. The 6-metre Rightech buses will be heading to Kent, where they will work as part of a demand responsive public transport network across the flagship Ebbsfleet Garden City scheme. In a first-of-its-kind agreement, the Rightech buses can be charged at public EV charging bays, ensuring they spend as much time serving the local community as possible, as well as in the local depot.
Austin Blackburn, founder of Go-Coach, said the test drive was enough to convince him of the buses' suitability. "Clearly, Wrightbus is at the top of its game and we really wanted to buy a vehicle which was backed by such a well-known manufacturer," he explained. "The versatility of these Rightech buses is incredible, so we can use them on demand where necessary or they can drop into a fixed line if routes get busy.
Ideally, we want our buses running from 5am to 1am the following morning, so being able to make the most of EV public charging is an added bonus to keeping them on the road." Shane Hymers, network development manager for Kent County Council's public transport department, said the funding had come from National Highways as part of its designated fund. "The Ebbsfleet, Dartford and Gravesend areas have seen a huge amount of investment in public transport alongside the new housing developments and millions of pounds of new road infrastructure," he said.
"These buses will form part of a critical zero-emission service to support passengers in that region and will complement a further 28 zero-emission buses that make up our award-winning Bus Rapid Transport system- Fastrack." Anna Komajda, from Camland, responsible for delivering the development of Whitecliffe, the largest development site in Ebbsfleet Garden City, said enabling buses to use the charging network was a big win. "Zero emission buses are a vital part of the transport mix and we are delighted to have secured a deal for them to take advantage of our impressive EV infrastructure."
Wrightbus was named the fastest-growing bus manufacturer in Europe and now boasts 2,200 employees, with factories in Northern Ireland and Malaysia and service centres in the UK and Germany. It launched Rightech as a pure EV brand, supported by a Wrightbus warranty, service and maintenance package, comprising the largest fleet of mobile technicians in the UK. "Wrightbus has been flying the flag for zero emissions long before anyone else," said CEO Jean-Marc Gales. "Our hydrogen double-decker was the world's first and we have 1,800 zero-emission buses on the road, covering millions of miles across the UK and Europe with an in-service availability of 98.6%.
"We are delighted for Kent, for the quickest way to decarbonise bus fleets is to electrify immediately. Rightech will solve these problems, backed by our portfolio of net-zero companies - supplying everything from product to infrastructure - which will provide more jobs and opportunities for our workforce in Northern Ireland, the rest of the UK and Europe." The new buses will use Roam's EV charging network at Ebbsfleet, ensuring they stay powered throughout the day.
Roam provides EV charging infrastructure across the UK, helping communities and businesses accelerate their shift to sustainable transport.
James Randall, CEO of Roam, added: "We're proud to see our network supporting the zero-emission Rightech bus fleet in Ebbsfleet, setting a brilliant example of how integrated infrastructure can accelerate the transition to green mobility."
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