Alexander Dennis Enviro500

Alexander Dennis Enviro500 (first generation)
Kowloon Motor Bus Enviro500 in Hong Kong in October 2005
Overview
Manufacturer	TransBus/Alexander Dennis
Production	2002–2014
Body and chassis
Doors	1 or 2 doors
Floor type	Low entry Low floor
Chassis	Alexander Dennis Enviro500 (a.k.a. Trident E500) 3-axle Volvo B9TL
Powertrain
Engine	Cummins ISMe/ISM/ISLe/ISL (ADL Enviro500) Volvo D9A/D9B (3-axle Volvo B9TL)
Power output	Cummins: 330hp/335hp/340hp/380hp Volvo: 300hp/310hp/340hp
Transmission	Voith DIWA ZF Ecomat Allison B500R
Dimensions
Length	11.3, 12.0 and 12.8 metres
Width	2.55 metres
Height	4.1, 4.2, and 4.4 metres
Chronology

The Alexander Dennis Enviro500 (previously known as the TransBus Enviro500) is a three-axle double-decker bus built by Alexander Dennis (formerly by TransBus) in the United Kingdom. It was unveiled in 2002 and is one of the Enviro-series bus models made by TransBus/Alexander Dennis.

The second generation Enviro500, also known as the Enviro500 MMC, was launched in 2012, replacing the original version.

First generation (2002–2014)

The Dennis chassis for Enviro500 (also known as Trident E500^[1]) was modified from the Trident 3. It can be fitted with Cummins ISMe335 Euro III engine (later Cummins ISLe340 Euro IV/Euro V engine which uses AdBlue to reduce emission of nitrogen oxides through selective catalytic reduction process), or ISM-330 engine for the buses delivered to North America, and coupled to Voith DIWA864.3E 4-speed or ZF 5HP602 5-speed gearbox. Later Voith DIWA864.5 4-speed gearbox, ZF 6HP602 6-speed gearbox and Allison B500R 6-speed gearbox became available and gradually became the standard configurations.

Initially only the 12-metre (40 ft)-long version of the Enviro500 was built, but in 2007 Alexander Dennis announced the production of the 12.8-metre-long version,^[2] and an 11.3-metre-long variant followed in 2008.

Later Alexander Dennis developed the hybrid electric version of Enviro500, known as the Enviro500H, with GM-Allison's parallel hybrid drive system; it was unveiled in late 2008.^[3][4]

The body of the Enviro500 was based on the original style of the single-deck Enviro300, and the upper-deck frontal design was similar to the design used on the Plaxton President body.

The vehicle exceeded some design limitations in Hong Kong, prompting the local Transport Department to make some exclusions in order to make the buses available to KMB on time.

• The width of the bus is 2.55 metres exceeding the limit of 2.50 metres. The width of 2.55 metres was approved by the European Union, becoming the current standard.
• A fixed glass replaced the emergency door at the rear of the upper deck, but with more hammers available for emergency.
• The front indicators are the smallest of all current models of Kowloon Motor Bus.

The facelifted version of Enviro500 body, first built in late 2003, have revised frontal and rear designs. This version of Enviro500 bodywork was also available with Volvo B9TL chassis.

In 2011, Alexander Dennis unveiled the restyled Enviro500 for North American market, which had the same front with the Enviro400. At the same time, a "Go-Anywhere" version of Enviro500 with an overall height of 4.115 m (13 ft 6 in) also became available.

Hong Kong

Kowloon Motor Bus

The Enviro500 is the first model of second-generation low-floor buses for Kowloon Motor Bus, with straight staircase and plug door (only at the exit) fitted. All KMB's Enviro500 buses had a bronze band added to the champagne livery to differentiate them from the first-generation low-floor buses.

When TransBus announced the development of the Enviro500, KMB became the launch customer by changing the last 20 of an order for 100 Dennis Trident 3s to the Enviro500 in 2002. Later in the same year, KMB placed an order for a further 100. The first Enviro500 arrived in Hong Kong on 12 November 2002 and was registered in January 2003 with all in service by November 2003.

In 2003 KMB placed another order for 65 Enviro500s, quickly followed by a further 50. The bodywork of these buses received a number of minor modifications. The first 112 buses entered service between November 2003 and June 2005, and the remaining three buses were registered by its subsidiary Long Win Bus.

Due to the commencement of the KCR West Rail in late 2003 and KCR Ma On Shan Rail in late 2004, the Transport Department requested KMB to reduce its fleet size, so the registration of these four batches of KMB Enviro500 were delayed and some of them were stored before entering service.

In 2005, KMB ordered a further 25 with modified bodywork and new Alexander Dennis badge, 24 of them (five had their electronic route destination displays supplied by Gorba instead of Hanover) entered service in early 2006. The last one, a Euro IV-engined prototype, with fleet number ATEU1 (originally ATE257), entered service on 24 May 2006. In 2009, it reemerged as a Euro V-engined bus.^[5]

In late 2005, KMB ordered 15 more buses which entered service in August 2006.

Later a batch of 9 buses with Euro IV engines was ordered for delivery in 2009, which entered service in mid-2009. One of them was fitted with luggage rack after body assembly. It was quickly followed by another batch of 46 buses for delivery in 2010, 20 of them were eventually diverted to Long Win Bus, and 26 buses entered service with KMB in 2010-2011.

A batch of 35 buses with Euro V engines was ordered for delivery in 2010/11, 30 of them were eventually diverted to Long Win Bus, and 5 buses entered service with KMB in 2011.

In July 2008, one was written off after being burnt out in KMB's depot in Tin Shui Wai on 31 March 2008.

Long Win Bus

Long Win Bus registered three Enviro500 buses, which were originally ordered by Kowloon Motor Bus, in August 2005 to cope with the increased demand for bus services after the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland.

In late 2005, Long Win Bus ordered five more which had luggage racks fitted when new, entering service in June/July 2006.

A further batch of seven buses with Euro IV engines had been ordered for delivery in 2009. The first six buses entered service in mid-late 2009. The last one, which was fitted with coach seats, entered service in October 2009. These were followed by further five buses, with the first four being registered in December 2009; the last one, which was fitted with coach seats, entered service in April 2010. In 2010, Long Win Bus received 20 more Enviro500 buses with Euro IV engines.

A batch of 6 Enviro500 buses with Euro V engines was ordered for delivery in 2010/11. These, together with 30 diverted from KMB's order, were put into service between 2011 and 2013.

Citybus

Until 2014, Citybus has 220 Enviro500s in services, they are all 12 metres long.

Citybus ordered 10 Enviro500s with Euro IV engine and luggage racks, soon after its sister company New World First Bus's order. The first batch of chassis arrived Hong Kong in the third quarter of 2007 for body assembly in NWFB depot at Chong Fu Road. They entered service in December 2007/January 2008.

A further batch of 18 buses with Euro IV engines had been ordered for delivery in 2009, they entered service in 2009. They were followed by another 77 buses with Euro V engines, they entered service in 2010/11. In 2011 Citybus ordered 115 Enviro500s, with three fitted with luggage racks.

MTR

Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation originally ordered 9 12-metre long Euro IV-engined Enviro500 buses in early 2007 for its Feeder Bus service.^[6] The first completed bus arrived Hong Kong on 24 November 2007, then registered in February 2008 and entered service in March 2008; the rest of them entered service in March/April 2008.

Due to a railway merger between MTR and KCR in late-2007, they are now operated by MTR Corporation for running MTR Feeder Bus (previously known as KCR Feeder Bus) routes.

Later a batch of 15 buses with Euro IV engines was ordered for delivery in 2009, they were first registered in April–August 2009. This was followed by another order for 9 buses in 11.3-metre length which entered service in 2012.

New World First Bus

New World First Bus ordered 18 Enviro500 buses with Euro IV engine in early 2007.^[6] 17 buses entered service in early/mid-2008, another one (fleet number 5504) was shipped to Australia in March 2008, after body assembly, for demonstration in several cities between April and May 2008, it finally entered service in June 2008.

In 2008 New World First Bus ordered 20 11.3 metre examples with Euro IV engines for delivery in 2009. They entered service in July–October 2009. A further batch of 20 similar buses with Euro V engines entered service in early 2010.

In 2010, a batch of 24 12m-long buses with Euro V engines was ordered for delivery in 2010-2011. They entered service in January–May 2011.

In 2011 New World First Bus ordered 13 12m-long Enviro500s, all of them entered service in May 2012. These were followed by another 28 12m-long buses which started to enter service in 2013.

Currently there are 123 Enviro500 buses in service with New World First Bus.

CLP Group

CLP Group ordered five Enviro500 buses with Euro IV engines for its staff shuttle bus service in 2008. The specification is similar with Citybus's Enviro500, but without wheelchair place and standees. They entered service in June 2009.

Europe

United Kingdom

In August 2008, First Glasgow ordered a batch of 25. They entered service between April and June 2009.

North America

In 2004, Alexander Dennis started to explore the North American market for its Enviro500. The American version of Enviro500 have modified bodies and redesigned fuel tanks, which enable the straight staircase to be moved forward. Alexander Dennis built four left hand drive Enviro500 (one 12m-long bus and three 12.8m-long bus) for demonstration in the United States and Canada.

Bus operators which evaluated the Enviro500 included Community Transit of Snohomish County, Washington (December 2005), Unitrans of Davis (January 2006, two weeks), OC Transpo of Ottawa (28 June to 12 July 2006 and February 2007), San Francisco Municipal Railway of San Francisco (November 2007 to January 2008)^[7] and the Réseau de transport de la Capitale of Quebec City (March 2013).

Alexander Dennis also built one 12-metre Enviro500 demonstrator for long-term loan. It was first loaned to Community Transit between 2007 and 2009 which put it into service on 1 August 2007, the bus was used on commuter routes between Seattle and various points in Snohomish County during its first year in operation.^[8] From September 2010, it was loaned to Strathcona County Transit on a one-year lease for the operator's one-year-long double-decker pilot project.^[9] The pilot is part of an exploration of different high-capacity bus types to carry more passengers on the high-demand commuter routes, which are between Strathcona County and Edmonton; an articulated bus is also being evaluated as an alternative and there is no commitment to put any Alexander Dennis model or any double-decker design into permanent service. This bus becomes the first double-decker to be used for regular transit service in Alberta.^[10]

In late 2008, Alexander Dennis announced the assembly of the American version of Enviro500 by ElDorado National of the United States.^[4]

Canada

BC Transit ordered nine Enviro500 which were allocated to Victoria, British Columbia and entered service in early 2005. Two of them had taken part in a promotional show in USA, which was organized by Alexander Dennis in January 2005, before entering service. These were followed by another 26 which entered service in 2008; sixteen of them were allocated to Victoria and the other ten were allocated to Kelowna. In 2009, BC Transit received one Enviro500H for evaluation.

GO Transit, Toronto's regional transit authority, currently operates a number of 12.8-metre long Enviro500s in its fleet. The first twelve were introduced in early 2008. Ten extra units entered service in early 2009. Later it ordered 25 12.8-metre-long Enviro500s with Enviro400-style new front and a lower height to meet bridge clearance requirements in Ontario, the first bus was delivered on 3 April 2013 and the remaining 24 in May 2013.^[11] These were followed by another seventy in 2014 and ten in 2015.

OC Transpo also purchased 3 Enviro500s for further testing, after two trials in 2006/07. The first unit arrived in November 2008 and the city of Ottawa operated them on a variety of routes. These three demo buses were sold to BC Transit in the summer of 2012. It ordered 75 12.8-metre-long Enviro500s with Enviro400-style new front for delivery in 2012/13, the first one officially arriving on 23 August 2012. As of 19 September 2013, 74 of 75 these new Enviro500 buses are in service (1 damaged in an accident and presumed retired).^[12]

Strathcona County Transit has decided to order 14 Enviro500s for their service between Sherwood Park and Edmonton, Alberta, with the first arriving in late August and subsequent buses arriving by the spring of 2014.^[13] They chose the double decker over articulated models and motor coaches after a year of testing between September, 2010 and October, 2011.^[14]

United States

Gray Line New York, owned by Coach USA ordered 20 open-top Enviro500 for its sightseeing operations in New York and put them into service in spring 2005, these were the first open-top Enviro500 built (another 13 would later be ordered). Gray Line also received three single-door Enviro500 in summer 2005 for operation in San Francisco.

Citizens Area Transit (now RTC Transit) of Las Vegas had its first 50 Enviro500s enter service by October 2005. The service, marketed as "The Deuce", runs along the Las Vegas Strip. Certain high-traffic routes, such as along Maryland Parkway and Nellis Boulevard, have also used these buses. They offer extra ventilation grilles outside the engine compartment to cope with Southern Nevada's dry desert climate and high summertime temperatures. Las Vegas's Enviro500s have the largest air conditioning system ever created for a transit vehicle, with eight fans fitted on the air conditioning unit. As of October 2006, CAT had firm orders for another 41 of the type worth $29.8 million; these were delivered in late 2007. A further 40 had also been ordered for delivery in 2008; these were 12.8 meters long and had a second staircase to speed loading and unloading. All these vehicles were used for regular fixed-route operations, not for sightseeing operations.

Les Cars Rouges, a sightseeing company, ordered 16 open-top Enviro500 for sightseeing operations in the USA, delivery of these buses started in early 2007. Eight of the Enviro500 are destined for San Francisco, and the rest of them are destined for Washington D.C.

Community Transit currently has a fleet of 23 12.8m buses,^[15] all of them were introduced in 2011.

Unitrans (the student-run transit service of University of California, Davis, known for years for its operation of former London Transport double-decker buses) ordered two Enviro500 which were delivered in early 2010; these are the first batch of Enviro500s with the bodywork assembled by ElDorado National.

SLO Transit ordered one Enviro500 which entered service in late 2010.

Hele-On Bus introduced one 12.8m Enviro500 in the first half of 2011.

Oceania

Australia

A Enviro500 with Kiwi Bus Builders bodywork was unveiled in 2011. This bus was the first Enviro500 with bodywork constructed by other bodybuilders, it was built for Rockleigh Tours in Melbourne. After a five-year quest to acquire a new double-decker with disabled access, the only company willing to supply a chassis was ADL, though it needed to be modified to make it narrower to meet Australian standards. Kiwi Bus Builders narrowed the chassis and built the body to Rockleigh Tours requirements.^[16]

Republic of Korea (demonstration only)

Gyeonggi province test-run a 79-seat with 12.86-metre-long Enviro500 (North American version) between Seoul and its surrounding cities, starting in mid-November 2014.^[17][18]

Enviro500 bodywork on Volvo B9TL chassis

As of early 2009, Kowloon Motor Bus and Long Win Bus in Hong Kong and Dublin Bus of Ireland are operating Volvo B9TLs with Enviro500 bodies.

Second generation (2012–present)

Alexander Dennis Enviro500 (second generation)
Citybus second generation Enviro500 in January 2014
Overview
Manufacturer	Alexander Dennis
Production	2012–Present
Body and chassis
Doors	2 or 3 doors
Floor type	Low floor
Chassis	Alexander Dennis Enviro500 (a.k.a. Trident E500 Turbo)
Powertrain
Engine	Cummins ISLe/ISL/ISBe
Power output	280hp/330hp/340hp/380hp
Transmission	Voith DIWA Allison B500R ZF EcoLife
Dimensions
Length	11.3, 12.0, 12.5 and 12.8 metres
Width	2.50, 2.545 and 2.55 metres
Height	3.9, 4.1, 4.2, and 4.4 metres
Chronology

In 2012, Alexander Dennis unveiled a new generation Enviro500 (also known as the Enviro500 MMC^[19]) with a new chassis design. The chassis (also known as the Trident E500 Turbo^[20] and E50D/E50H) had the longitudinally-mounted engine and gearbox slightly offset to the left. The Cummins ISLe engine was retained, with choices of ZF EcoLife and Voith DIWA gearbox. Like the Enviro400 with straight staircase, the shape of fuel tank was specifically adopted to be mounted under the staircase. All the axles utilised were supplied by ZF instead of Dana.

The bodywork was redesigned and followed the design of Hong Kong version-Enviro400, with a new design of staircase known by Alexander Dennis as the "Square-Case", which had similar size with spiral staircase but with all steps being rectangular shaped.

Hybrid electric version of this bus model with Cummins ISBe engine and BAE Systems HybriDrive series hybrid system had been built in small numbers.

Later in 2014, Alexander Dennis unveiled this second generation Enviro500 in North America, with a new design of bodywork similar with the Enviro400 MMC launched earlier that year. This bodywork design was also adopted by the Enviro500s built for Hong Kong since 2015.

Hong Kong

Citybus

Citybus ordered one new generation Enviro500 in 2011 - 8320 (in conjunction with the 115 older Enviro500), soon followed by further order of 155, 8321 to 8360, 8000 to 8065 and 9100 to 9148. 107 of these were for the 12-metre-long version and included 66 fitted with airport coach specifications. The other 49 were 11.3-metres-long. The first 4 airport coaches entered service in March 2013 and in 2014. Citybus ordered a further 104 new generation Enviro500s which were all the 12-metre-long version and possess a high seating capacity for 90 passengers, 8361 to 8399 and 8402 to 8466.

In mid 2014, Citybus received a 12.8-metre-long Enviro500 demonstrator, 6300 and became the second operator in Hong Kong after KMB to receive such a model. Later that year, the operator received 2 hybrid versions of the Enviro500, 8400 and 8401, becoming the third operator of such a type in Hong Kong. Citybus then went on to order a further 70 new generation 12-metre-long Enviro500s of which the first was delivered in January 2015, 8467 to 8536, increasing the total of 12-metre Enviro500 to 216 in Citybus.

From late 2015, Citybus received further examples of 12.8-metre-long Enviro500, but with restyled front and rear. Some were fitted with luggage racks in the lower saloon.

Kowloon Motor Bus

Kowloon Motor Bus ordered 348 new generation Enviro500 in 2012, with the first bus exhibited at the Euro Bus Expo 2012 at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham and delivered in February 2013. Among them, 19 were diverted to Long Win Bus and 329 were in KMB (ATENU1-ATENU329).

In 2014, KMB received two 12.8-metre-long version Enviro500s (3ATENU1 & 3ATENU2), which would be part of the first four 12.8-metre-long double-deckers received by the company. It also placed a further order of 145 Enviro500s (ATENU330-ATENU473, ATENU498) in the same year, then followed by 209 Enviro500s (ATENU474-ATENU497, ATENU499-ATENU681, ATENU685 and ATENU801) and another 196 Enviro500s (ATENU682-ATENU684, ATENU686-ATENU800, ATENU802-ATENU876, ATENU893, some had the restyled front and rear), all of them were in 12-metre-long length.

In 2015, KMB placed orders for 470 Enviro500s, 320 are in 12-metre-long (ATENU877-ATENU878, ATENU880-ATENU892, ATENU894-ATENU1197, ATENU1198-ATENU1241) and the rest are in 12.8-metre-long (3ATENU3-3ATENU152).

Two Euro VI-engined Enviro500s had also been ordered by KMB.

Hybrid buses

In 2014, KMB received three hybrid version Enviro500 (ATH1-ATH3) as the first hybrid electric double-deckers received by the company.

Long Win Bus

Long Win Bus ordered 22 new generation Enviro500 in 2012, with a further 19 buses diverted from KMB order and follow by another 6 buses. In 2014, LWB placed a further order of 26 new generation Enviro500 with airport coach specification. A further batch of 60 was ordered in 2015 including 21 12-metre buses and 39 12.8-metre.

MTR Bus

MTR Bus ordered 6 11.3-metre-long new generation Enviro500 in 2012, which were delivered and entered service in 2013. Before the 6 new generation Enviro500 were registered, MTR ordered more 28 11.3-metre-long new generation Enviro500.

New World First Bus

New World First Bus ordered 12 new generation Enviro500 in 2013, they are all 11.3-metre-long version. The buses (4040 - 4051) were in service between 2013 and 2014.

In 2014, NWFB ordered another 87 Enviro500 (5583 - 5669), all of them were 12-metre-long version and included one Enviro500 with hybrid version (fleet no. 5600), becoming the second operator receiving hybrid version.

In 2016, NWFB received further examples of 12-metre-long Enviro500, but with restyled front and rear.

CLP Group

CLP Group ordered one Enviro500 to replace one old version Enviro500 written off after an accident. It was delivered in late 2015.

Singapore

SMRT Buses

SMRT Buses initially ordered 103 Enviro500 double deckers for delivery in 2014 but the order was expanded to 201 in total, with an additional 98 buses to be used for Land Transport Authority (LTA)'s Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP).^[21] As of Sunday 13 July 2014, the first double deckers started service on route 972.^[22]

Bus Contracting Model (BCM)

As part of the Bus Contracting Model, some of the Enviro500s had been transferred to Tower Transit Singapore under the Bulim bus package. These buses are progressively being repainted into the lush green livery.

A mock-up of restyled 13.8 m long Enviro500 MMC concept bus with 3 doors and 2 staircases was also built for the Land Transport Authority.^[23][24]

Malaysia

Prasarana Malaysia had ordered 40 units of Euro III-engined Enviro500 buses for Rapid KL services and is being operated by Rapid Bus, one of subsidiaries of Prasarana Malaysia. The buses are serving the high capacity routes around the Klang Valley, especially from Cheras and Shah Alam to the capital city of Kuala Lumpur as well as the inner routes in the city centre.^[25][26]

New Zealand

Howick & Eastern had ordered 15 Enviro500s for delivery in 2015-16. In October 2015 the first double decker went into service with more slowly introduced throughout the commissioning stages.

In September 2015, NZ Bus announced it had ordered 23. As of Sunday 29 May 2016, the first lot of many double deckers has gone into service.^[27]

All buses provided by Howick & Eastern and NZ Bus have USB charging ports and with WiFi to come at a later date.

United States

AC Transit in Oakland, California started testing an Enviro500 demonstrator on select runs on February 25, 2015.

Community Transit placed an initial order of seventeen Enviro500s and later ordered a further five, they started to enter service in late 2015.^[28]

Sound Transit, a regional operator in Seattle, Washington, also ordered five Enviro500s for Sound Transit Express routes operated by Community Transit.^[29]

Canada

Go Transit ordered 250 Enviro500s with an even lower height of 3.9 metres, allowing them to fit into terminals with height restrictions, particularly York Mills and Yorkdale Terminals. The chassis for these future vehicles will be manufactured at a purpose-built factory near Toronto, creating up to 30 new full-time jobs.^[30]

Strathcona County Transit also ordered three Enviro500s.

OC Transpo ordered 43 new Enviro500 "Go Anywhere" models for delivery starting in late 2015 with the last entering service September 2016. These new buses will also be fitted with Wi-Fi, of which 15 currently have Wi-Fi as a test project.

Switzerland

In September 2015, Alexander Dennis announced the order of 19 Enviro500s with twin staircases and three doors for PostAuto, Switzerland, scheduled for delivery in 2016.

Mexico

Metrobús of Mexico City ordered 90 Enviro500 after evaluating one original version Enviro500 demonstrator in late 2014. They are scheduled for delivery in 2016.^[31]

Germany

Berlin

In October 2015 Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG), the public transport operator of Germany’s capital, commenced a six-week trial of an Alexander Dennis Enviro500, as part of a bigger testing programme for a new series of buses for the city.^[32][33]

Conversions

• Length: 11.3 m (37 ft ⁷⁄₈ in), 12.0 m (39 ft 4 ¹⁄₂ in), 12.5 m (41 ft ¹⁄₈ in), 12.8 m (41 ft 11 ⁷⁄₈ in)
• Width: 2.50 m (8 ft 2 ³⁄₈ in), 2.545 m (8 ft 4 ¹⁄₄ in) 2.55 m (8 ft 4 ³⁄₈ in)
• Height: 3.9 m (12 ft 9 ¹⁄₂ in), 4.1 m (13 ft 5 ³⁄₈ in), 4.2 m (13 ft 9 ³⁄₈ in), 4.4 m (14 ft 5 ¹⁄₄ in)

See also

Competitors

• BCI Enterprise
• Neoplan Centroliner
• Wright Eclipse Gemini
• Wright Explorer

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alexander Dennis Enviro500.

• Product description in Alexander Dennis official website