| Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC | |
|---|---|
 Enviro200 MMC demonstrator operated byYorkshire Coastliner in October 2018 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Alexander Dennis |
| Production | 2014–present |
| Body and chassis | |
| Doors | 1 or 2 doors |
| Floor type | Low floor |
| Chassis | Integral |
| Related | Alexander Dennis Enviro200EV Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine |
|
| Capacity | 30–40 seated |
| Power output | 180–250 hp (130–190 kW) |
| Transmission | |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 8.9 m (29 ft 2 in) 9.7 m (31 ft 10 in) 10.2 m (33 ft 6 in) 10.8 m (35 ft 5 in) 11.5 m (37 ft 9 in) 11.8 m (38 ft 9 in) 12.8 m (42 ft 0 in) |
| Width | 2.44 m (8 ft 0 in) |
| Height | 2.86 m (9 ft 5 in) |
| Curb weight | 13–14.4 t (12.8–14.2 long tons; 14.3–15.9 short tons) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Alexander Dennis Enviro300 |
TheAlexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC, also marketed as the Alexander Dennis Enviro200, is a single-deckercity bus produced byAlexander Dennis since 2014 as the successor to theEnviro200midibus andEnviro300 full-size bus.
The Enviro200 MMC is available over a range of lengths, including 8.9 metres, 9.7 metres, 10.8 metres and 11.5/11.8 metres, as an integral twin-axle midibus or full-size bus. Additionally, the 12.7 metre tri-axle Enviro200 XLB is offered in the New Zealand market. The Enviro200 MMC bodywork is also available as an all-electric bus, known as theAlexander Dennis Enviro200EV, built on aBYD Autobattery electric chassis. Notably, some Enviro200 MMCs have also been modified byFusion Processing to be used as the basis for the firstdriverless bus trials in the United Kingdom.
The Enviro200 MMC can trace its lineage back to the originalDennis Dart midibus, introduced byDennis Specialist Vehicles in 1989. One of the most successful bus models of all time,[according to whom?] the original Dart was replaced by the low-floor Dart SLF in 1996. Through financial difficulties at the various parent companies, production of the Dart SLF passed first toTransBus International in 2001 and subsequently toAlexander Dennis in 2004.
The second-generationAlexander Dennis Enviro200 - then branded as theEnviro200 Dart - was introduced as the Dart SLF's replacement in 2006, based very strongly on the design of the previous model. The third-generation Enviro200 was launched in 2009, followed by the Enviro200 MMC in 2015. Production of the classic third-generation Enviro200 ultimately ceased in late 2018.
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Alexander Dennis unveiled theEnviro200 MMC (short forMajor Model Change) at the Euro Bus Expo in Birmingham in November 2014. As well as replacing the classic Enviro200, it also superseded the Enviro300.[4] The first production examples of the Enviro200 MMC entered service withNational Express West Midlands in 2015, the operator having ordered 50 of the type.[5][6]
Go South Coast were early customers of the Enviro200 MMC, with a first batch of 18 delivered toBluestar in late 2015.[7] Twelve more were delivered to Bluestar in 2016,[8] followed by a third batch in 2019, some of which had air filters mounted on the roof following successful trials inSouthampton.[9][10]Swindon's Bus Company had 13 Enviro200 MMCs delivered in 2017, followed by another batch of six in 2020,[11][12] andMorebus had 40 Enviro200 MMCs delivered in 2018 for their m1/m2 services betweenBournemouth andPoole.[13]
TheStagecoach Group, the founders of which were shareholders of Alexander Dennis until 2019,[14] operate a large number of Enviro200 MMCs across the group's operations in England, Wales and Scotland. After a first batch of eight built toTransport for London specification entered service withStagecoach London in October 2015,[15] Stagecoach's first regional Enviro200 MMCs entered service withStagecoach South,[16]Stagecoach East Scotland,[17][18]Stagecoach Oxfordshire andStagecoach Yorkshire between November 2015 and February 2016.[19][20] Further examples have entered service withStagecoach North East, who received eighteen for services inNewcastle upon Tyne in December 2016,[21]Stagecoach East Midlands, where Enviro200 MMCs were introduced for services inLincoln andHull as well as on theHumber Fastcat service toScunthorpe,[22][23][24] andStagecoach South West, where 14 Enviro200 MMCs entered service inExeter in 2018.[25] Some delivered to Stagecoach have been built to the company's high standardStagecoach Gold specification, with 24 such Enviro200 MMCs delivered toStagecoach South Wales in 2016,[26] and another 25 being delivered toStagecoach Midlands in 2018.[27]
TheFirstGroup are another significant operator of Enviro200 MMCs, making significant purchases of the type throughout 2015 and 2016. 32 Enviro200 MMCs were delivered toFirst Glasgow in November 2015 as part of a larger vehicle investment for the city,[28] followed by the delivery of seven high-specification Enviro200 MMCs in January 2016 to upgradeFirst Aberdeen's route 13 to 'Platinum' specification.[29] Smaller batches of Enviro200 MMCs were also delivered toFirst South Yorkshire for services inSheffield,[30]First Essex,[31]First Potteries,[32]First Cymru[33] and for First Glasgow's express services toGlasgow Airport.[34]
Arriva UK Bus also operate a number of Enviro200 MMCs. The company first took on Enviro200 MMCs in early 2016, which were delivered toArriva London for service on route B13.[35] The first orders for an Arriva subsidiary outside London was delivered toArriva Shires & Essex in 2017, with 14 of the type delivered for services inLuton.[36] Elsewhere in 2017,Yorkshire Tiger launched six Enviro200 MMCs for 'Flying Tiger' services connectingBradford andHarrogate withLeeds Bradford Airport.[37][38] 27 more Enviro200 MMCs were delivered toArriva Midlands,Arriva North East andArriva Southern Counties in mid-2022.[39][40]
Wellglade Group companiesTrent Barton andKinchbus had 156 Enviro200 MMCs in total delivered between 2016 and 2023. These buses were delivered in various route-branded liveries, such as for the 'Skylink' service toEast Midlands Airport, and all feature high-specification interiors.[41][42] A further 29 for use on the 'Ilkeston Flyer', 'the Villager', the H1 and 'the Mickleover' services are on order for delivery in summer 2024.[43]
Nine Enviro200 MMCs were delivered toEast Yorkshire Motor Services across two batches in 2017.[44][45] Following the company's acquisition byGo North East, a pair of Enviro200 MMCs were delivered for two rural services in 2019[46] and eight more were delivered toScarborough for the 'Scarborough Sevens' operation later that year.[47] This was accompanied by deliveries of 11 Enviro200 MMCs to Go North East for its 'Green Arrow' service.[48][49]
Transdev Blazefield first took five Enviro200 MMCs for its York & Country operation in 2019 after the company won five service contracts inYork.[50][51] A further 13 Enviro200 MMCs with high specification interiors were delivered to theBlackburn Bus Company in January 2020.[52]
Rotala operator andTransport for Greater Manchester contractorDiamond North West took delivery of 67 Enviro200 MMCs between late 2023 and early 2024, intended for use on bus services tendered to Diamond through theBee Networkbus franchising scheme. 52 Bee Network Enviro200 MMCs were also delivered toGo North West earlier in 2023 for use on services franchised under Tranche 1 of the scheme.[53]Metroline Manchester received two batches of Enviro200 MMCs, stored in Wythenshawe garage until their entry into service under Tranche 3 from 5 January 2025,[54][55] whileStagecoach Manchester took delivery of seven in total for the rollouts of Tranches 2 and 3.[citation needed]Arriva North West, meanwhile, began taking delivery of 56 Enviro200 MMCs for use on theLiverpool City Region's franchisedMetro services from November 2024 onwards.[56]
Other operators includeMcGills Bus Services, who took delivery of 26 Enviro200 MMCs in 2019, with 15 of the batch specified to be built to 11.5m length while the remaining eleven were specified to 10.4m length.[57][58] 44 were also delivered toGo Cornwall Bus in 2020, shortly after the launch of the company's new tendered bus network.[59] Two pairs of Enviro200 MMCs were purchased on lease toThames Valley Buses in 2022,[60] whileCardiff Bus ordered ten Enviro200 MMCs in 2017.[61][62] A pair of Enviro200 MMCs were delivered from stock to Rotala subsididaryPreston Bus on short-term notice in September 2024.[63]
The Enviro200 MMC is also popular with independently-run companies, many of which are either bought outright or leased to the operator through lessors such as Mistral.[64] Among these include Moffat and Williamson ofFife, who took seven in 2017,[65]Delaine Buses, who purchase two annually and operate five of the type as of September 2022,[66][67]Edwards Coaches,[68] Whitelaws Coaches,[69] Go Goodwins,[70] and Kev's Cars and Coaches.[71]
The Alexander Dennis Enviro200EV is a single-deck bus that runs onbattery electric power. It has been produced since 2015 by the British companyAlexander Dennis in partnership with the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturerBYD Auto. The Enviro200EV is an all-electric variant of the Enviro200 MMC.[72]
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In 2017, a 12.8 metre tri-axle version of the Enviro200 MMC, named theEnviro200 XLB, was launched for the New Zealand market. Significant investment in the vehicle type has been seen across the country, withRitchies Transport purchasing 28 for theirAuckland operations, andBirkenhead Transport acquiring 25 examples.[73]
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The firstautonomous bus trial in the United Kingdom commenced in mid-2019, with an Enviro200 MMC modified withSAE Level 4 autonomous software fromFusion Processing able to operate in driverless mode withinStagecoach Manchester'sSharston bus depot, performing tasks such as driving to the washing station, refuelling point and then parking up at a dedicated parking space in the depot.[74] Enviro200 MMCs with this autonomous technology were later marketed by Alexander Dennis as theEnviro200AV.
A passenger-carrying driverless bus service namedCAVForth commenced operations on 15 May 2023 using a fleet of five Enviro200AVs built to the same specifications as the Manchester trial vehicle on a 14 miles (23 km)Stagecoach East Scotland park-and-ride route across theForth Road Bridge, from the north bank of the Forth toEdinburgh Park station.[75][76] The pilot service, partly funded by the UK government's Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV), employs twenty personnel recruited by Stagecoach, which includes 'safety drivers' who occupy the cab and monitor the driverless technology as well as 'bus captains', similar to the role of abus conductor, who will assist passengers boarding the service.[77]
Non-passenger testing of the Enviro200AVs along the park-and-ride route commenced for a period of two weeks in April 2022;[78] passengers were first carried on the buses during further testing in January 2023.[79] Four of the five Enviro200AVs entered service on the AB1 service upon the launch of the route in May 2023; one was briefly exported toDubai for trials with the emirate'sRoads and Transport Authority.[80]
Bee Network-liveried Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC YX24 OZB-F have been delivered, well ahead of January 2025 Tranche 3 mobilisation and are stored at Wigan.
Meanwhile, Metroline has introduced a fleet of new vehicles to the Bee Network, including Alexander Dennis Enviro200s, Wrightbus Streetdeck Ultroliners, and Volvo/MCV BZLs.
Media related toAlexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC at Wikimedia Commons
