Equipmake signs electric bus repower fleet deal with Golden Tours

Equipmake, a specialist in electrification engineering, has secured another contract with Golden Tours to convert ten more Volvo B5 London Tour Buses to zero-emission vehicles using its Zero-Emission Drivetrain (ZED) technology.

This new contract follows an initial £2 million order in February, highlighting the growing adoption of Equipmake’s electrification solutions by their customers. The successful implementation of these products is helping Golden Tours enhance the operational efficiency of their fleet.

Golden Tours, established in 1984, is known for its high-quality sightseeing tours in London and day trips to popular UK destinations like Stonehenge and Bath. The company has a well-established partnership with Gray Line Association, the world’s largest sightseeing tour company, and is a preferred partner of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London. Equipmake plans to begin delivering these repowered buses in the coming months.

Commenting on the contract, Ian Foley, CEO, Equipmake said: “Golden Tours is a leading tour and activity company in London and across the UK, and I am pleased to announce it has followed its February order with another substantial commitment for Equipmake-repowered buses. This new contract is testament to the quality and reliability of our products and reflects an increasing move in the sector towards sustainable operational alternatives. Equipmake’s bus repowering provides an economically compelling alternative to purchasing new electric vehicles and we are delighted that we can support Golden Tours as it works to make its fleet sustainable.”

Mikesh Palan, Managing Director at Golden Tours, added: “By extending our relationship with Equipmake, Golden Tours is ensuring its operations are as sustainable as possible. We offer bus services to the UK’s most famous and iconic locations, and by partnering with Equipmake, we will enhance our services for thousands of passengers a day. The cutting-edge capabilities of Equipmake’s Zero-Emission Drivetrain and its many cost, sustainability and efficiency advantages highlighted clear benefits of this continued partnership. We look forward to bringing these electric buses into service and continuing to put sustainability at the forefront of our business strategy.”

Equipmake’s ZED, which will be integrated in each of Golden Tours bus, is a modular and scalable repowering solution, its versatility making it applicable to both single and double-deck applications. The technology features Equipmake’s in-house developed electric motor, inverter, and power electronics, which are combined with the latest lithium-ion batteries.

One of the most innovative and important features of the ZED is its patented, ultra-efficient thermal management system, which maintains the battery pack, motor and inverter at an optimal temperature, therefore maximising vehicle range.

An advanced water-glycol cooling circuit brings an additional benefit by providing interior heating during cold conditions with captured thermal energy. Once the battery has been depleted following a duty cycle, it can be recharged at the depot via a CCS DC charging point.

Equipmake’s revolutionary technology has clear and proven advantages, with 90 tonnes of CO2 being saved by repurposing the existing chassis and body, rather than producing an entirely new double deck bus. Additionally, each conversion costs less than half the price of a new electric bus, and with most buses in service for more than 14 years, operators can make significant savings by repowering their buses halfway through its operational life cycle.