Alexander Dennis – BYD contributed to Cobra electrification project within Sky corporate contract in Scotland

Cobra completes electrification of Sky corporate contract in Scotland with system approach delivered by supplier partners. Two new BYD ADL Enviro200EV buses were delivered, taking the total of vehicles delivered to 10.

For these latest zero-emission buses, Cobra has taken a system approach to vehicles and infrastructure, with multiple companies working together to deliver a reliable solution, Alexander Dennis underlines.

Alexander Dennis built the zero-emission buses on chassis supplied by BYD and provides spare parts and service through its AD24 aftermarket division. The vehicles are owned by Dawsongroup bus and coach and provided to Cobra on a fully supported contract hire solution for the operation on behalf of Sky.

Alexander Dennis and Sky corporate contract in Scotland

EO Charging has provided and will manage the ongoing maintenance of the charging infrastructure that was installed by BES Group.

The new Enviro200EV have replaced two of the earlier examples, which have been transferred from Livingston to the similar Sky operation in Osterley, Greater London that utilises the remainder of the fleet. While the earlier buses used a slow AC charging connection, the new buses are designed with state-of-the-art DC charging, still in Alexander Dennis’ words.

The infrastructure was manufactured by ABB and supplied by EO Charging, who will also provide ongoing maintenance and its fleet management software, EO Cloud, a cloud-based monitoring that includes real-time oversight and management of the infrastructure supporting the calculation of carbon emissions avoided. The higher charging speed compared to the earlier AC solution increases resilience of the operation, which has no spare vehicles. It allows vehicles to be returned to service more quickly after maintenance and repairs, with the proximity of the AD24 team at the manufacturers’ sites in Falkirk and Larbert an additional factor that keeps downtime to a minimum.

Steve Dowling, Director at Cobra Corporate Services Limited, commented: “Our new Enviro200EV at Livingston have been in service for a few months now and they are performing very reliably. We have a solid solution using DC infrastructure, which really is the gold standard for electric bus charging, working better and giving us more options, more confidence and more operational flexibility. The collaboration and support from our partners have been outstanding. This collaboration and pooling of expertise has been key to completing the full electrification of all Sky shuttle services at Livingston and Osterley as well as Elstree Studios as part of our client’s Sky Zero strategy.”

Mark Taylor, Regional Sales Manager for Alexander Dennis, said: “We are delighted to have worked with our friends and partners to deliver this reliable system solution for Cobra and their client Sky, and to continue to support the ongoing operation through AD24. This is a landmark project for sustainable travel options which demonstrates the potential of zero-emission buses on corporate contracts.”

Fraser Innes, Sales Director for Dawsongroup bus and coach, said: “Congratulations to Cobra Corporate Services on the successful rollout of their sustainable staff transport service to a second site. It is immensely gratifying to be part of a project that not only achieves success but also continues to evolve. This accomplishment is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Cobra Corporate Services team.

Philip Kershaw, Director of eBus of EO Charging, added: “We are proud to be part of this significant project, providing the essential charging infrastructure and maintenance to support Cobra’s electric bus fleet. Our collaboration with BES Group guarantees that the charging stations are not only reliable but also optimised for performance, significantly reducing downtime, enhancing operational efficiency, and ensuring comprehensive charge assurance.”

Andrew Livesey, Managing Director – Electrical Division for BES Group, said: “We are thrilled to continue our strong partnership with Cobra Corporate Services on this exciting project. Our collaboration with EO Charging has been instrumental in delivering a comprehensive charging infrastructure solution for Sky. We look forward to working together on future projects to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future.”