Safety watchdogs have ordered the recall of almost 2,000 electric buses over fears they can catch fire if left unattended.
Mailonline reports the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has warned operators who use the Alexander Dennis Enviro200 and Enviro400 single and double decker buses of the critical safety issue.
The buses are currently operational across the UK, with more than 600 in London and a further 100 in Manchester (pictured). All of the affected vehicles were manufactured between May 3, 2019 and February 6, 2024. They all contain batteries supplied by Chinese firm BYD.
Initial investigations suggest the fault may be in the air conditioning and heating system. The alert was issued following a scare on board one of the buses – which can cost up to £450,000 each – putting the value of the entire fleet at £800m.
At present, there is no permanent solution to prevent future fires. Instead, operators using the high-tech buses are warned to ‘switch off the Hipsacold HVAC system when the vehicle is left unattended’.
In September 2021, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced that all new buses in London would be ‘zero emission’. As of March 31, 2023 – most recent figures available. London had a total of 476 of the buses subject to recall in their fleet. A further 100 of the same bus type has been supplied to Manchester as part of their move to electric buses.
Certain routes in the capital are now entirely electric as part of Sadiq Khan’s commitment to reduce harmful emissions in the city. Cities such as Coventry, Birmingham, Cambridge, Leeds, Glasgow and Aberdeen also use the buses.
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