Each vehicle will be equipped with enormous 130kw/h batteries – giving them a
100-mile range and a capacity equivalent to around six Nissan Leafs.
The buses will receive regular top-up charges throughout the day from the
three wireless charging points installed along the routes.
Charge pads on the underside of each bus will sync wirelessly with pads
installed under the road, in a process known as induction charging. Drivers will
park over the pads for their 10-minute break, replenishing two thirds of the
electricity used to cover the 12.5-mile route without interrupting the
timetable.
The consortium of companies behind the scheme – which include bus
manufacturer Wrightbus, wireless charging firm Arup, bus operator Arriva and
Milton Keynes Council – believe that the switch from diesel to electric will cut
tailpipe emissions by around 500
tonnes every year.
Running costs will also be slashed, as annual fuel costs for a diesel bus are
around £23,000 per year compared to an estimated £10,000 for an electric one.
And maintenance costs will be lower, too.
