BY Florina Spînu (with additional reporting by Marco Kathuria)—London-based EV manufacturer Arrival (NASDAQ: ARVL) has recently announced that it started ground trials of its zero-emission Bus, moving closer to certification. Once ground trials are completed, Arrival will begin public road trials with First Bus, one of the UK’s largest transport operators.
Last year, Arrival introduced its electric Bus, as a solution meant to improve the public transportation experience for all riders while also lowering operating costs, supporting the transition to EVs.
The first Arrival Bus features three doors and plenty of space. It has variable passenger seating capacity and a more useful standing area, which allows the possibility of traveling more comfortably.
It comes with a low, flat floor, widened passenger doors, and ramps that ensure passengers can access the vehicle easily and safely. For even more space, the battery modules are incorporated into the base of the Bus. This not only works to distribute the weight, but it guarantees smooth maneuverability and also lets the natural light come inside through the transparent roof.
“This is a key milestone for Arrival and we’re thrilled to have started proving ground trials, where the Bus is currently going through testing, ahead of EU certification and public road trials next year. We’ve seen a strong interest in the Bus this year, specifically from governments who are looking to upgrade their public transportation networks, in order to achieve their zero-emission pledges. We’re partnering closely with governments, cities, and operators to build infrastructure solutions and seamless mobility services for local communities to support their clean energy targets.”
Franck Dessenis, Vice President of Bus Platform, Arrival.
Floating cantilever chairs provide a cleaner, more streamlined appearance and are easier to clean. Thanks to the vehicle’s modular architecture, seating can be adjusted to meet the customers’ needs. Not only that, but the length configuration, range, battery, and passenger capacity can all be modified to match specific requirements.
The Bus features in-house components and lightweight recyclable composite materials. These, along with the common suspension and the wheels and tires at front and rear, should make the Arrival Bus lighter when compared to other electric buses on the market.
Other features include exterior and interior screens that wrap around the vehicle, lighting that can be adjusted, and several digital features meant to improve the riding experience for the passengers.
“This marks an important day as all of our milestones for 2021 have been achieved. We now look forward to bringing our vehicles, led by the Bus, to the market beginning in 2022, built by our Microfactories and helping to make the air cleaner around the world”.
Avinash Rugoobur, President, Arrival.
As the year comes to an end, the Arrival Bus is undergoing ground trials, moving on with its certification process. Following this step, the company will start public road trials with First Bus early next year, which will see the vehicle operate on routes used by First Bus in the UK. Production of the Arrival Bus is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2022.
(SOURCE: Autoevolution. No copyright infringement intended.)
