LARBERT, Scotland, March 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (TSX: NFI, OTC: NFYEF) NFI Group Inc. (“NFI”), one of the world’s leading independent global bus manufacturers, today announced that the Alexander Dennis Limited (“ADL”) and BYD UK electric vehicle partnership (“BYD ADL”), the UK’s leading electric bus producer, has received a firm order from First Bus for a further 126 zero-emission buses for Glasgow. The order is the largest ever for electric buses in Scotland and is partially funded by the Scottish Government through the Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme (SULEB). ADL is a subsidiary of NFI.
This firm order includes 91 double deck and 35 single deck buses. These vehicles are part of NFI and ADL’s March 22nd announcement that the BYD ADL partnership was the intended supplier on 172 successful zero-emission bus proposals part-funded by SULEB.
These new vehicles will all be introduced to the Glasgow city bus network by March 2023. They will join two BYD ADL Enviro200EV that have been in service since January 2020, as well as 22 similar single deck buses ordered in February 2021 for delivery ahead of the UN’s COP26 climate summit. In total, ADL will have 150 electric buses in service in Scotland’s largest city.
Using BYD’s battery electric driveline technology, ADL will assemble the buses at its factory in Falkirk, ensuring the investment benefits the local economy in Scotland’s Central Belt.
“We are excited about this large investment by First Bus in new zero-emission electric buses as NFI and our partner BYD continue to drive electric mobility in the UK,” said Paul Soubry, President & Chief Executive Officer, NFI. “These vehicles will be built at our factory in Falkirk, and it is great news for Scotland that this investment is being recycled into the local economy, allowing the benefits to be felt across our communities whilst helping to underpin skilled jobs.”
Janette Bell, Managing Director, First Bus, said, “As leaders in sustainable mobility, we are fully aligned with the Government’s ambitions for a zero-carbon bus fleet and have already committed to this by 2035. We will continue to ensure that our progress doesn’t just exceed the expectation outlined in the Strategy, but that it also puts the expectations of our customers front and centre.”
Andrew Jarvis, Managing Director, First Glasgow, said, “We have led the way with bus operators in Glasgow as a key partner of Glasgow City Council for the country’s first ever LEZ rollout, and this latest announcement helps us to deliver shared objectives and make up lost time due to the pandemic.”
NFI is a leader and innovator in zero-emission mobility. The Company’s battery-electric and fuel-cell electric vehicles are in more than 80 cities in four countries and have completed over 20 million electric service miles. NFI has the broadest offering of electric vehicles including medium- and heavy-duty transit buses, motor coaches and double-deck buses. NFI subsidiary ADL is the UK’s largest bus manufacturer and continues to lead the evolution to zero-emission mobility with sustainable single-deck buses, double-deck buses, and coaches.
About NFI
Leveraging 450 years of combined experience, NFI is leading the electrification of mass mobility around the world. With zero-emission buses and coaches, infrastructure, and technology, NFI meets today’s urban demands for scalable smart mobility solutions. Together, NFI is enabling more livable cities through connected, clean, and sustainable transportation.
With 8,000 team members in ten countries, NFI is a leading global bus manufacturer of mass mobility solutions under the brands New Flyer® (heavy-duty transit buses), MCI® (motor coaches), Alexander Dennis Limited (single and double-deck buses), Plaxton (motor coaches), ARBOC® (low-floor cutaway and medium-duty buses), and NFI Parts™. NFI currently offers the widest range of sustainable drive systems available, including zero-emission electric (trolley, battery, and fuel cell), natural gas, electric hybrid, and clean diesel. In total, NFI supports its installed base of over 105,000 buses and coaches around the world. NFI common shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol NFI. News and information is available at www.nfigroup.com, www.newflyer.com, www.mcicoach.com, www.alexander-dennis.com, www.arbocsv.com, and www.nfi.parts.
About Alexander Dennis
Alexander Dennis Limited (“ADL”) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of double deck buses and is also the UK’s largest bus and coach manufacturer. ADL offers single and double deck vehicles under the brands of Alexander Dennis and Plaxton, and has over 31,000 vehicles in service in the UK, Europe, Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, Mexico, Canada and the United States. Further information is available at www.alexander-dennis.com.
For ADL media inquiries, please contact:
Jacqueline Anderson
+44 7796 715 607
jacqueline.anderson@alexander-dennis.com
For investor inquiries, please contact:
Stephen King
204.224.6382
Stephen.King@nfigroup.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a406ee15-24b5-4f58-89f9-9e7f46d15023