Latest news with #AlexanderDennis
Fox News
27-02-2025
- Automotive
- Fox News
Would you hop on this driverless electric city bus?
Could self-driving electric buses be coming to a city near you? Cambridge, U.K., is taking the lead in testing a revolutionary public transit system that could transform urban mobility. The Alexander Dennis Enviro100AEV, equipped with Fusion Processing's cutting-edge CAVstar automated drive system, is poised to change how people move around the city, offering a sustainable and efficient alternative to traditional buses. So, forget what you think you know about public transit. This could be a sneak peek at the future of commuting, potentially disrupting the way we think about public transportation in the U.S. and beyond. Fusion Processing and Alexander Dennis just unveiled the first Enviro100AEV autonomous electric bus. The vehicle combines the best of both worlds: a fully electric powertrain for zero-emission operation and Fusion Processing's intelligent CAVstar automated drive system. Powered by AI, the CAVstar system provides the "brains" for the bus' self-driving capabilities. Notably, the Enviro100AEV features an impressive energy consumption rate of just 0.54 kWh/km. For context, this metric, standard in many parts of the world, represents energy consumption per kilometer traveled. This demonstrates the bus' high efficiency. It also supports up to 1.2 GWh of warrantable energy throughput, indicating its robust design and longevity. So, what's next for this self-driving bus? First, it's off to the test track to calibrate the CAVstar system. This ensures the bus can handle everything the road throws its way, all while maintaining top-notch safety and efficiency. Once the testing phase is complete, the bus will move to Cambridge, where safety drivers will receive training to supervise the operations. The plan is to launch public services later this year at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Cambridge is the perfect place to test out this technology because the Cambridge Biomedical Campus is a hub for world-class biomedical research, patient care and education. The Enviro100AEV isn't just about self-driving; it's also about sustainability. As an electric bus, it produces zero emissions, helping to create a cleaner, greener city. The hope is that autonomous buses like this will not only improve the efficiency of public transport but also make it more environmentally friendly. Why should you care about self-driving buses in Cambridge? This project provides a glimpse into the future of urban transportation, showcasing how technology can improve efficiency, reduce emissions and potentially transform how we design and manage our cities. The involvement of NFI Group through Alexander Dennis, a company with a significant presence in the North American market, suggests that the lessons learned and technologies developed in Cambridge could eventually find their way to cities across the United States. This development is part of the Connector project, an initiative backed by Innovate UK and spearheaded by the Greater Cambridge Partnership. It's a team effort, with Fusion Processing, Alexander Dennis, IPG Automotive, dRisk and Gamma Energy all pitching in. Plus, the U.K. government's Centre for Connected & Autonomous Vehicles is providing funding and guidance. Jim Hutchinson, CEO of Fusion Processing, is understandably excited: "This is a landmark achievement for Fusion Processing and our CAVstar system. We are proud to play a pivotal role in revolutionizing public transport with autonomous technology." Councillor Elisa Meschini, chair of the Greater Cambridge Partnership's Executive Board, added, "The Connector project positions Cambridge at the forefront of innovation by trialing autonomous vehicles on our roads... This initiative not only paves the way for more sustainable and efficient travel but also highlights the power of collaboration in shaping the future of public transport." Jamie Wilson, head of concepts and advanced engineering at Alexander Dennis, said, "The completion of the first Enviro100AEV is a great milestone for the Connector project as we now enter a phase of vehicle testing to ready the technology for public services." The unveiling of the autonomous electric bus in Cambridge marks a significant step toward the future of public transportation. This project highlights the power of collaboration and innovation in creating sustainable and efficient mobility solutions. As the bus undergoes testing and prepares for public service, it paves the way for a potentially transformative shift in how we get around our cities. Would you feel comfortable riding a bus with no driver? What factors would be most important to you in trusting the safety of this technology, both as a passenger and as someone sharing the road with it? Let us know by writing us at For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Follow Kurt on his social channels: Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions: New from Kurt: Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
Globe and Mail
25-02-2025
- Automotive
- Globe and Mail
Liverpool City Region orders 58 next-generation Enviro400EV zero-emission double deckers from NFI subsidiary Alexander Dennis
LARBERT, United Kingdom, Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (TSX: NFI, OTC: NFYEF, TSX: NFI Group Inc. (NFI) a leading independent bus and coach manufacturer and a leader in zero-emission electric mass mobility solutions, subsidiary Alexander Dennis Limited (Alexander Dennis), today announced that it has taken a firm order from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority for 58 next-generation Enviro400EV zero-emission buses. The electric buses are expected to join the city region's current fleet later this year. Publicly owned by the Combined Authority, they will be operated by a commercial bus operator ahead of the introduction of franchising from 2026 onwards. Their purchase is being supported by the second tranche of the Department for Transport's Zero-Emission Bus Regional Areas fund (ZEBRA 2). The Enviro400EV is part of Alexander Dennis' next generation of zero-emission buses. It has been designed to maximize its environmental benefits, and testing certified by the Zemo Partnership has confirmed its best-in-class energy requirement of only 0.67kWh/km over the UK Bus Cycle alongside a market-leading 97% grid-to-wheel charging efficiency. Combined with a warranted energy throughput of up to 1.6GWh, ongoing operating costs will be kept to a minimum to ensure the buses are financially as well as environmentally sustainable. All 58 Enviro400EV for the Liverpool City Region will be built in Britain, supporting 1,900 UK skilled jobs and more than 60 apprenticeships at Alexander Dennis as well as further significant employment at the manufacturer's 8,000 suppliers across the United Kingdom. 'Buses are the backbone of our public transport network – around 80% of all public transport journeys in our region are taken by bus. But for too long, our communities have been left with a second-class service that simply doesn't work for them,' said Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region. 'That's why we're taking back control of our buses and putting the public back at the heart of public transport. These new, state-of-the-art, all-electric double-deckers are another step towards building the London-style transport system our region deserves – one that's reliable, affordable, and works for the people it's meant to serve. And because they're built right here in Britain, they're helping to support thousands of good, well-paid jobs and apprenticeships too. Franchising will be the biggest shake-up to our bus network in decades, but we're not waiting until 2026 to make things better. Whether it's capping fares at £2 or investing in cleaner, greener vehicles, we're getting on with the job of making journeys cheaper, better, and more sustainable for local people.' 'We're honoured to support the team at the Combined Authority and Mayor Steve Rotheram as they work to further improve bus services across the Liverpool City Region. The 58 new Enviro400EV double deckers we're building will cut out tailpipe emissions and offer passengers a smoother, quieter journey. They will also support British jobs and apprenticeships across our own network of facilities as well as in our extensive supply chain, ensuring that public money is reinvested in our economy,' said Paul Davies, President & Managing Director, Alexander Dennis. 'Political leaders like Mayor Steve Rotheram deserve huge credit for the support they are providing to British bus manufacturers, recognizing we are a key contributor to growing the UK economy, and we look forward to working with the other mayoral combined authorities in future to bolster the electric bus revolution.' NFI is a leader in zero-emission mobility, with electric vehicles operating (or on order) in more than 150 cities in six countries. NFI offers the widest range of zero-emission battery and fuel cell-electric buses and coaches, and its vehicles have completed over 220 million EV service miles. High resolution images are available for download from the Alexander Dennis website at About NFI Leveraging 450 years of combined experience, NFI is leading the electrification of mass mobility around the world. With zero-emission buses and coaches, infrastructure, and technology, NFI meets today's urban demands for scalable smart mobility solutions. Together, NFI is enabling more livable cities through connected, clean, and sustainable transportation. With over 9,100 team members in ten countries, NFI is a leading global bus manufacturer of mass mobility solutions under the brands New Flyer ® (heavy-duty transit buses), MCI ® (motorcoaches), Alexander Dennis Limited (single- and double-deck buses), Plaxton (motorcoaches), ARBOC ® (low-floor cutaway and medium-duty buses), and NFI Parts™. NFI currently offers the widest range of sustainable drive systems available, including zero-emission electric (trolley, battery, and fuel cell), natural gas, electric hybrid, and clean diesel. In total, NFI supports its installed base of over 100,000 buses and coaches around the world. NFI's common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange ('TSX') under the symbol NFI and its convertible unsecured debentures trade on the TSX under the symbol News and information is available at and About Alexander Dennis Alexander Dennis is the world's leading manufacturer of double-deck and lightweight buses as well as the UK's largest bus builder. The company's next-generation zero-emission buses are tailored to operators' requirements and have been independently confirmed to be among the most efficient in the market. In addition to battery-electric and hydrogen-fuel cell vehicles, Alexander Dennis offers low-emission buses that use advanced load management to deliver competitive total cost of ownership for customers. All Alexander Dennis products are backed up by comprehensive AD24 aftermarket support including parts, field service, workshops, technical publications, training and the AD Connect telematics suite. Alexander Dennis builds on 130 years of heritage and today has team members at 16 facilities in nine countries as well as partner locations. It is a proud part of leading independent global bus manufacturer NFI Group. Further information is available at Forward-Looking Statement This press release may contain forward-looking statements relating to expected future events and financial and operating results of NFI that involve risks and uncertainties. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, investors cannot be assured that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements, and the differences may be material. Actual results may differ materially from management expectations as projected in such forward-looking statements for a variety of reasons, including market and general economic conditions and economic conditions of and funding availability for customers to purchase buses and to purchase parts or services; customers may not exercise options to purchase additional buses; the ability of customers to suspend or terminate contracts for convenience; production may be delayed or production rates may be decreased as a result of ongoing and future supply chain disruptions and shortages of parts and components, shipping and freight delays, and disruption to and shortage of labor supply; and the other risks and uncertainties discussed in the materials filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available on SEDAR at Due to the potential impact of these factors, NFI disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law. For investor inquiries, please contact: Stephen King P: 204.792.1300
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Liverpool City Region orders 58 next-generation Enviro400EV zero-emission double deckers from NFI subsidiary Alexander Dennis
LARBERT, United Kingdom, Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (TSX: NFI, OTC: NFYEF, TSX: NFI Group Inc. (NFI) a leading independent bus and coach manufacturer and a leader in zero-emission electric mass mobility solutions, subsidiary Alexander Dennis Limited (Alexander Dennis), today announced that it has taken a firm order from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority for 58 next-generation Enviro400EV zero-emission buses. The electric buses are expected to join the city region's current fleet later this year. Publicly owned by the Combined Authority, they will be operated by a commercial bus operator ahead of the introduction of franchising from 2026 onwards. Their purchase is being supported by the second tranche of the Department for Transport's Zero-Emission Bus Regional Areas fund (ZEBRA 2). The Enviro400EV is part of Alexander Dennis' next generation of zero-emission buses. It has been designed to maximize its environmental benefits, and testing certified by the Zemo Partnership has confirmed its best-in-class energy requirement of only 0.67kWh/km over the UK Bus Cycle alongside a market-leading 97% grid-to-wheel charging efficiency. Combined with a warranted energy throughput of up to 1.6GWh, ongoing operating costs will be kept to a minimum to ensure the buses are financially as well as environmentally sustainable. All 58 Enviro400EV for the Liverpool City Region will be built in Britain, supporting 1,900 UK skilled jobs and more than 60 apprenticeships at Alexander Dennis as well as further significant employment at the manufacturer's 8,000 suppliers across the United Kingdom. 'Buses are the backbone of our public transport network – around 80% of all public transport journeys in our region are taken by bus. But for too long, our communities have been left with a second-class service that simply doesn't work for them,' said Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region. 'That's why we're taking back control of our buses and putting the public back at the heart of public transport. These new, state-of-the-art, all-electric double-deckers are another step towards building the London-style transport system our region deserves – one that's reliable, affordable, and works for the people it's meant to serve. And because they're built right here in Britain, they're helping to support thousands of good, well-paid jobs and apprenticeships too. Franchising will be the biggest shake-up to our bus network in decades, but we're not waiting until 2026 to make things better. Whether it's capping fares at £2 or investing in cleaner, greener vehicles, we're getting on with the job of making journeys cheaper, better, and more sustainable for local people.' 'We're honoured to support the team at the Combined Authority and Mayor Steve Rotheram as they work to further improve bus services across the Liverpool City Region. The 58 new Enviro400EV double deckers we're building will cut out tailpipe emissions and offer passengers a smoother, quieter journey. They will also support British jobs and apprenticeships across our own network of facilities as well as in our extensive supply chain, ensuring that public money is reinvested in our economy,' said Paul Davies, President & Managing Director, Alexander Dennis. 'Political leaders like Mayor Steve Rotheram deserve huge credit for the support they are providing to British bus manufacturers, recognizing we are a key contributor to growing the UK economy, and we look forward to working with the other mayoral combined authorities in future to bolster the electric bus revolution.' NFI is a leader in zero-emission mobility, with electric vehicles operating (or on order) in more than 150 cities in six countries. NFI offers the widest range of zero-emission battery and fuel cell-electric buses and coaches, and its vehicles have completed over 220 million EV service miles. High resolution images are available for download from the Alexander Dennis website at About NFI Leveraging 450 years of combined experience, NFI is leading the electrification of mass mobility around the world. With zero-emission buses and coaches, infrastructure, and technology, NFI meets today's urban demands for scalable smart mobility solutions. Together, NFI is enabling more livable cities through connected, clean, and sustainable transportation. With over 9,100 team members in ten countries, NFI is a leading global bus manufacturer of mass mobility solutions under the brands New Flyer® (heavy-duty transit buses), MCI® (motorcoaches), Alexander Dennis Limited (single- and double-deck buses), Plaxton (motorcoaches), ARBOC® (low-floor cutaway and medium-duty buses), and NFI Parts™. NFI currently offers the widest range of sustainable drive systems available, including zero-emission electric (trolley, battery, and fuel cell), natural gas, electric hybrid, and clean diesel. In total, NFI supports its installed base of over 100,000 buses and coaches around the world. NFI's common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange ('TSX') under the symbol NFI and its convertible unsecured debentures trade on the TSX under the symbol News and information is available at and About Alexander Dennis Alexander Dennis is the world's leading manufacturer of double-deck and lightweight buses as well as the UK's largest bus builder. The company's next-generation zero-emission buses are tailored to operators' requirements and have been independently confirmed to be among the most efficient in the market. In addition to battery-electric and hydrogen-fuel cell vehicles, Alexander Dennis offers low-emission buses that use advanced load management to deliver competitive total cost of ownership for customers. All Alexander Dennis products are backed up by comprehensive AD24 aftermarket support including parts, field service, workshops, technical publications, training and the AD Connect telematics suite. Alexander Dennis builds on 130 years of heritage and today has team members at 16 facilities in nine countries as well as partner locations. It is a proud part of leading independent global bus manufacturer NFI Group. Further information is available at Forward-Looking Statement This press release may contain forward-looking statements relating to expected future events and financial and operating results of NFI that involve risks and uncertainties. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, investors cannot be assured that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements, and the differences may be material. Actual results may differ materially from management expectations as projected in such forward-looking statements for a variety of reasons, including market and general economic conditions and economic conditions of and funding availability for customers to purchase buses and to purchase parts or services; customers may not exercise options to purchase additional buses; the ability of customers to suspend or terminate contracts for convenience; production may be delayed or production rates may be decreased as a result of ongoing and future supply chain disruptions and shortages of parts and components, shipping and freight delays, and disruption to and shortage of labor supply; and the other risks and uncertainties discussed in the materials filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available on SEDAR at Due to the potential impact of these factors, NFI disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law. For media inquiries, please contact:Debbie McCreath, +44 1324 574479Stefan Baguette, +44 1324 678047press@ For investor inquiries, please contact:Stephen KingP: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in to access your portfolio
Reuters
18-02-2025
- Automotive
- Reuters
EV battery pack developer Ionetic opens UK pilot production plant
LONDON, Feb 18 (Reuters) - British startup Ionetic, which develops electric vehicle battery packs for low-volume automakers, has launched production at a UK pilot plant as it scales up for projects with manufacturers, the company said on Tuesday. The company's 5 million pound ($6.3 million) plant in Brackley, Northamptonshire comes as Ionetic is working on EV battery packs for a number of British and U.S. automakers, CEO James Eaton told Reuters. Major global automakers have committed to investing hundreds of billions of dollars to develop EVs, the most complex and expensive parts of which are the battery pack and software system to run it. Ionetic is targeting lower-volume manufacturers making everything from buses to commercial vehicles, sports cars, off-road vehicles and even golf carts or beach buggies that would struggle with the expense of developing EVs. "The really big players can throw hundreds of millions or even billions at electrification," Eaton said. "But around 90% to 95% of manufacturers are small and don't have hundreds of millions of pounds to go electric." He said that while an automaker could expect to spend upwards of 30 million pounds on an in-house EV battery pack, in general Ionetic can develop one for customers for under a million pounds. "We want customers to spend as little as possible to get to production with a great battery pack," Eaton added. Low-volume automakers could opt for generic existing off-the-shelf battery pack technology, but could end up with a product that does not meet their needs for range, power and performance, Eaton said. The startup has an ongoing research and development project with bus maker Alexander Dennis, a unit of Canada's NFI Group ( opens new tab, but Eaton said he could not yet disclose which other automakers the company is working with. Ionetic has partnered with industrial automation firm Rockwell Automation (ROK.N), opens new tab to provide hardware and software for its pilot plant. Rockwell has provided digital twin software to Ionetic to test packs virtually before it invests in production, Eaton said. ($1 = 0.7942 pounds)
