National Express Tests Electric Shuttle Bus at Stansted

National Express has begun a one-month trial of a battery-electric bus. It runs on the passenger shuttle linking London Stansted Airport's long-stay car park with the terminal. The trial replaces an existing diesel Mercedes-Benz Citaro. It uses a one-door Mercedes-Benz eCitaro. This marks the operator's first electric bus test on an airport car park shuttle service.

The battery-electric vehicle will operate on the landside passenger transfer route. It will cover an average of about 180 miles each day. This will test the technology under demanding mileage and high-frequency patterns. The eCitaro features electric traction and regenerative braking. It will be powered using electricity from renewable sources during the trial.

Trial Objectives and Monitoring

National Express and London Stansted Airport will jointly monitor several key performance indicators. These include the bus's energy consumption and charging requirements. Reliability and availability will also be tracked. Feedback from passengers and operational staff will be collected.

The primary aim is to gather practical data on operating battery-electric buses in an airport setting. The trial will examine how the vehicle performs over a standard daily duty cycle. Rafael Fernandez is Managing Director of National Express. He stated the company's commitment to exploring sustainable transport options. "This trial is an important step," he said. "It helps us understand where battery-electric technology can work effectively on a high-demand service pattern."

Sustainability Goals

The initiative aligns with broader sustainability efforts by both organisations. National Express's parent company is Mobico Group. It has an ambition for a net-zero fleet across its businesses by 2040. This is outlined in its Climate Transition Plan.

Future Plans

After the month-long test, the results will be assessed. They will inform potential future deployment of battery-electric buses across airport transport operations. Nick Millar is Operations Director at London Stansted Airport. He expressed support for the trial. He said the long-stay shuttle service provides an ideal route to test electric vehicles. The insights gained will help guide future decisions. The airport is working towards its own net-zero carbon ambitions.

The trial represents a focused exploration. It looks at electric vehicle integration into a core airport ground transport function. Findings will centre on practical considerations. These include energy use and vehicle performance in a busy airport environment.