UK / Germany - Alexander Dennis Ltd (ADL), part of NFI Group Inc, has delivered the first two Enviro500 tri-axle double deck buses from a potential initial batch of 198, which could further escalate to a requirement for 430 units under a framework agreement which was signed in October 2018 with Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG). The outcome is dependent on successful testing of the two vehicles delivered.

Berlin’s Enviro500s are 13.8 metres long and 4.06 metres tall. With three doors and two staircases, they facilitate rapid boarding and alighting on busy urban services. Passengers will benefit from USB chargers at each of the 80 fixed seats, while the maximum capacity of 112 passengers allows for additional standees, buggies and two wheelchair users. A live indication of upper deck seat availability is provided at the bottom of the stairs and large screens throughout the vehicle show next stops, connections and other relevant information. Stop request buttons provide acoustic feedback and tactile handrails at all doors benefit visually impaired passengers. Novel interior lighting changes colour tone according to exterior air temperature, assisting passengers’ subjective thermal comfort in addition to full air-conditioning and auxiliary heating.