KleanDrive has announced a contract to convert 30 Wrightbus Streetdeck buses to electric power for First Bus, one of the UK’s major bus operators. The conversion project forms part of First Bus’s plan to achieve a zero-emissions fleet by 2035.
Under the agreement, KleanDrive will supply electric drivetrain technology while Ensignbus will handle installation and refurbishment of the bus chassis and interior. The program will begin with a pilot vehicle before proceeding with the full 30-bus conversion.
First Group, First Bus’s parent company, invested £1 million in KleanDrive in 2024 as part of its diesel bus fleet repowering initiative. The partnership allows diesel components removed during conversion to be returned to First Bus for use in its remaining conventional Streetdeck fleet.
KleanDrive founder Joe Tighe said the project represents “how we see the future of repowering buses – with KleanDrive providing a world-leading, model-specific modular e-drivetrain, and the body and chassis work carried out by experienced specialists like Ensign. “This initial bus previews a run of 30 Wrightbus Streetdecks, which we will convert with Ensign to our latest specification of EV drivetrain, bringing lower running costs, less maintenance burden and a cleaner, quieter and smoother ride for passengers,” Tighe added.
The KleanDrive system features CATL Lithium Iron Phosphate battery cells and Voith motors housed in a modular framework. The drivetrain provides 324 kWh of usable battery capacity, enabling 195 miles of driving range at 50% passenger occupancy.
Andrew Jarvis, Managing Director at First Bus, said the company was “delighted to place this order with Kleandrive” and impressed with the engineering quality. “They offer a very neat package, making installation and maintenance easier to complete, which is vital for us get the converted buses out on the roads, serving our customers in the shortest time possible,” he said.
“For us as an operator having a modular drivetrain, enabling the repowering to be done at our premises saves time, money and carbon emissions, while empowering our technicians to work on the vehicle for routine maintenance after conversion,” Jarvis added.
The plug-and-play system allows the drivetrain to be fitted or removed from the location previously occupied by the diesel engine. KleanDrive develops software to manage interaction between the original vehicle and the new drivetrain.
