In a move designed to reduce its carbon footprint and drive down operating costs Reading Buses is to invest £3.5m in a fleet of 19 gas-powered buses developed jointly by Scania and Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL).
They will be the first Scania-ADL gas buses to enter service in the United Kingdom and will operate on a variety of services in and around the Reading area, including a major contract serving Green Park, Madjeski Stadium and Kennet Island.
Based on the 12-metre Scania KUB 4x2 chassis, the vehicles will be powered by Scania's 270 horsepower EEV 9.3-litre five-cylinder, energy efficient lean burn gas engine, which is capable of operating on either Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) or Bio Natural Gas (BNG). The engine offers high efficiency and low fuel consumption with no need for exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). It is based on the same platform as Scania's modular-build 9.3-litre diesel engine, which limits the number of new components required for the low entry gas chassis to around 40 items.
The vehicles will feature single-deck 40-seat Enviro E300NG bodywork, designed and engineered by ADL, Scania's gas bus development partner. A third company closely involved in the project is Gas Bus Alliance (GBA), which will provide infrastructure and fuel supply to Reading Buses.
Commenting on the order, James Freeman, CEO of Reading Buses, says: "Our business has a long history of innovation and has consistently sought to operate at the leading edge, both in terms of efficiency and with regard to environmental standards. The combination of stylish, proven, British-built bodywork with technology that promises high performance, minimal running costs and a carbon-neutral fuel solution, ticks all of the boxes for us.
"Furthermore, we have a long track record of successful partnerships with both Scania and ADL and go into this initiative with the knowledge of the aftermarket support they offer. Additionally, the new gas vehicles will share a large number of common components with the 100-plus Scania vehicles already in our bus fleet.”
Scania’s Bus, Coach and Engine Sales Director Tony Tomsett adds: "We are naturally delighted that the UK's first Scania-powered gas buses are going to such a high profile operator as Reading Buses. Bringing this project to fruition has seen a great collaborative effort between us, ADL and GBA and I would like to thank all concerned for the hard work put in to date to ensure the success of this ground-breaking venture."
Robert Davey, ADL’s Commercial Director, says: "Innovation is at the heart of everything we do as a business and providing a raft of green, alternative solutions remains top of our agenda. This landmark partnership with Scania tackles the challenge of neutral emissions and improved air quality head-on and we are delighted to be working with them. Collaboration is the name of the game if we are to harness best-in-class technology and bring it to market in a way that makes sense for manufacturers and operators. As ever, Reading is in the vanguard of those pioneering new technology and operating excellence."
Scania gas-powered vehicles
Over the course of its long history, Scania has produced gas-powered vehicles for almost 100 years, with one of the earliest recorded examples being buses adapted to run on producer gas during the First World War years. Scania first produced a dedicated gas bus engine in 1940. In more recent times the company has supplied in excess of 3,800 gas engines for various applications in a number of countries worldwide. These include fleets operating in the Swedish municipalities of Uppsala, Malmö and Helsingborg as well as vehicles in Madrid, Spain and Brisbane Australia.
http://www.scania.co.uk/about-scania/media/press-releases/2012/reading-buses-places-major-order-for-19-scania-adl-gas-powered-buses.aspx
