National Express begins electric bus trial

National Express has begun a trial of an electric bus at London Stansted.

The Mercedes-Benz eCitaro is operating between the airport's long-stay car park and terminal. It replaces the existing diesel vehicle used on the route.

The month-long trial will help National Express and London Stansted understand how electric bus technology performs in a busy airport environment.

The shuttle service travels around 180 miles each day, making it an ideal route to test the vehicle's performance, reliability and charging requirements.

During the trial, the bus will be powered using electricity from renewable sources at the airport.

Rafael Fernandez, Managing Director at National Express, said:

“We’re committed to exploring more sustainable ways of delivering passenger transport for our airport partners, and this trial is an important step in understanding where battery-electric technology can work effectively on a high-demand service pattern

“Over the course of the trial we’ll be looking closely at the vehicle’s performance, energy use and charging requirements, alongside feedback from passengers and our operational teams.

"The findings will help us understand the practical considerations for introducing battery-electric vehicles in this particular operating environment.”

Nick Millar, Operations Director at London Stansted, said:

"We're pleased to support this trial with National Express, which will help us better understand how battery-electric bus technology performs in a busy airport environment.

"The long-stay shuttle service is an ideal route to test the operational requirements of electric vehicles, and the insights gained will help inform future decisions as we continue working towards our net zero carbon ambitions."

Following the trial, National Express and London Stansted will review the findings and use the results to help inform future decisions on the deployment of battery-electric vehicles across airport transport operations.