Northern Ireland-based bus manufacturer Wrightbus has incorporated a raft of safety technology from Wheely-Safe into its StreetDeck Electroliner all-electric double-decker.
The recently unveiled Electroliner is Wrightbus’ first-ever EV and reportedly the fastest charging double-deck EV on the market.
To maximise wheel and tyre safety, the bus is fitted with Wheely-Safe’s latest generation intelligent tyre pressure monitoring system, wheel loss and brake temperature sensors – with alerts being displayed directly on the dashboard binnacle, rather than the standard in-cab receiver, for the first time.
Dr Robert Best, director of engineering at Wrightbus, said: “Right from the outset, we were impressed with the potential of the system. As far as we know it is the only technology that can detect the onset of wheel loss while the vehicle is in motion. It’s a very clever piece of kit.
“We want all our vehicles to be as safe as possible and this technology can only help that. It was very straightforward to fit and integrate the alerts into the dashboard. We will be offering it to customers as an optional extra on all new buses going forwards.”
The prototype StreetDeck Electroliner will be used as a demonstrator vehicle for operators around the world.
Utilising a French battery pack that delivers 454kW and a 200-mile range, the Electroliner can recharge in two hours and 45 minutes and is designed to cope with all routes, whether urban or rural. The batteries are stored around the bus to ensure passenger capacity and comfort.
