#Reading #Buses has introduced 24 Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV electric double-deckers on its flagship purple 17 and claret 21 routes. The buses entered service after a launch event at the operator’s Great Knollys Street depot on 5 February. Funded through the second round of the Government’s Zero-Emission Regional Bus Areas (ZEBRA 2) scheme with Reading Borough Council, they are the operator’s first battery-electric double-deckers. One carries ZEBRA branding, while another features “warming stripes” showing local temperature rises, developed by the University of Reading. The buses use Driventic electric drive systems with batteries of up to 472kWh, providing a full day’s operation on a single charge. Thirteen fast chargers have been installed at the depot. They replace biogas double-deckers on route 17, which are being redeployed to remove older diesel vehicles. A further eight Enviro400EVs are due to enter service on route 26. https://www.alexander-dennis.com/reading-buses-launches-24-alexander-dennis-enviro400ev-electric-double-deckers-on-flagship-routes/