Bus manufacturer Wrightbus has launched a new initiative, NewPower, aimed at converting diesel buses to electric, with the goal of encouraging more fleet operators to transition to electric vehicles (EVs) without the need for a complete fleet overhaul.
The program aims to make fleet electrification more accessible and cost-effective by offering a conversion service that eliminates the need for operators to purchase new electric buses. According to Wrightbus, the cost to re-power a bus is approximately £200,000, a significantly lower price point compared to purchasing new electric buses. This cost-effectiveness is expected to incentivize operators to convert mid-life bus fleets, rather than waiting until their older diesel buses need replacement.
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The conversion process involves swapping out the diesel engine for a Voith Electric Drive System (VEDS), NMC battery packs, and a Grayson HVAC system. Wrightbus boasts that the conversion can be completed in just three weeks, with engineers able to work on up to six units simultaneously. This efficiency could potentially allow the company to convert as many as 500 buses per year.
Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Wrightbus, highlighted the environmental benefits of the NewPower program, stating, “While we are selling new hydrogen and battery-electric buses all over the world, there is a huge market of mid-life buses which, once converted, can have an immediate impact on helping to improve air quality in towns and cities up and down the UK.” Gales added, “We have long been recognized as the world-leading manufacturer of both hydrogen and battery-electric buses, and now NewPower will add another string to our bow.”
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The NewPower conversion service is currently only available for Wrightbus models. The facility is located in Oxfordshire at the former headquarters of Arrival, an EV company that recently went bankrupt. The launch of the NewPower program is expected to create 22 new jobs initially, with Wrightbus anticipating that 65 staff will be working at the site by the end of the year.
