Wright GB Kite

The Wright GB Kite is a range of full-size zero-emission single-deck buses manufactured by Wrightbus since 2022. Similar in body style to the diesel powered Wright GB Hawk, the GB Kite is an integral design that can be built as a battery electric vehicle, the Electroliner BEV, and as a fuel cell electric vehicle, the Hydroliner FCEV.[1][2]

Wright GB Kite
Overview
ManufacturerWrightbus
Production2022–
AssemblyBallymena, Northern Ireland
Body and chassis
ClassElectric bus
Fuel cell bus
Doors1 or 2
Floor typeLow floor
ChassisIntegral
RelatedWright GB Hawk
Powertrain
Capacity90 maximum
Battery
Range
  • Electroliner BEV
  • 250 miles (400 km)[1]
  • Hydroliner FCEV
  • 640 miles (1,030 km)[2]
Dimensions
Length10.6 metres (35 ft)
Width2.5 metres (8.2 ft)
Height3.0 metres (9.8 ft)
Chronology
PredecessorWright Eclipse 3
Wright StreetAir

The GB Kite range was launched in September 2021, following the launch of the double-deck Wright StreetDeck Electroliner and Hydroliner range earlier in the year.[3] The Electroliner BEV has a maximum range of 250 miles (400 km) with the top option of a 567kwh battery, charged through conventional DC charging or pantograph charging. The Hydroliner FCEV has a maximum range of 640 miles (1,030 km), powered with a with either a 70 or 100kwh fuel cell system produced by Ballard Power Systems in combination with a 35 kg (77 lb) or 50 kg (110 lb) hydrogen tank.[4] Regular production of both GB Kite variants was fully underway by December 2022.[5]

Orders

Hydroliner FCEV

The first orders for GB Kites was placed in November 2021, with Metrobus ordering 20 Hydroliner FCEV vehicles for use on the Fastway network, to be delivered in late 2022.[6][7] These were the first GB Kite Hydroliners delivered, with the first examples entering service in April 2023 ahead of the projected completion of the order in June.[8]

60 left-hand drive Hydroliner FCEVs have been ordered by Cologne municipal operator Regionalverkehr Köln, Wrightbus' first European order since the bus builder was rescued from bankruptcy, with deliveries of the Hydroliners to take place between 2023 and 2025.[9][10]

In May 2022, Wrightbus entered a deal to supply the Australian bodybuilder Volgren with two GB Kite Hydroliner chassis for the company to body. These two buses are scheduled to enter service with Transdev Queensland for hydrogen fuel-cell trial services in Brisbane in 2023.[11][12][13]

Electroliner BEV

28 Electroliners are expected to enter service with the Foyle Metro in 2023 as part of an investment by Translink for 38 battery electric Wright buses for Derry.[14] 50 more have been ordered for delivery to both Ulsterbus and Metro in Belfast in summer 2024.[15]

The FirstGroup has ordered 173 GB Kite Electroliners for five of its subsidiaries as part of an order placed in August 2022 which also included 20 StreetDeck Electroliners. GB Kite Electroliners are to be delivered to First York and First West Yorkshire, First Leicester, First Eastern Counties and First Hampshire & Dorset for services in Leeds, York, Leicester, Norwich and Portsmouth respectively.[16][17] Further orders for GB Kite Electroliners placed in March 2023 included 28 more for First Hampshire & Dorset's Hoeford depot,[18] as well as 18 more for First Leicester.[19][20]

The Oxford Bus Company is to receive five GB Kite Electroliners as part of a 104-vehicle order for zero-emission Wrightbus buses.[21]

References
  1. "GB Kite Electroliner BEV". Wrightbus. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  2. "GB Kite Hydroliner FCEV". Wrightbus. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  3. "Wrightbus to launch electric and hydrogen powered GB Kite". Coach & Bus Week. Emap. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  4. "Wrightbus presents electric & fuel cell single-decker buses". electrive. 23 September 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  5. May, Tiana (9 December 2022). "Wrightbus Advances Production of GB Kite Electroliner". Bus-News. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  6. "Go-Ahead buys its first zero emission hydrogen buses". Go-Ahead News (Press release). 4 November 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  7. "20 Wrightbus hydrogen single-deckers for Metrobus Fastway". RouteOne. 4 November 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  8. Gardner, Andrew (11 April 2023). "Crawley Metrobus begins testing of Wright Hydroliner fleet". The Argus. Brighton. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  9. Breslin, John (27 May 2022). "Wrightbus to supply German city of Cologne with 60 hydrogen buses". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  10. "Wrightbus: Ballymena firm to supply 60 hydrogen buses to Germany". BBC News. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  11. "Wrightbus eyes Australian export market with Volgren deal". routeone. 11 May 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  12. Blackadder, Dessie (11 May 2022). "Australia deal is major boost for Ballymena Wrightbus workers". Ballymena Guardian. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  13. "Transdev goes hydrogen with two-bus Volgren-Wrightbus trial". Coach & Bus Week. Peterborough: Emap. 30 August 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  14. "Further electric investment announced in Northern Ireland". Buses. Stamford: Key Publishing. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2021.(subscription required)
  15. "Translink orders 100 more ZE buses from Wrightbus". routeone. 27 October 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  16. Deakin, Tim (31 August 2022). "First Bus orders 193 Wrightbus battery-electrics". routeone. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  17. "First Leicester starts work on electric bus infrastructure". routeone. 6 December 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  18. Deakin, Tim (2 March 2023). "First Bus orders 117 more Wrightbus battery-electrics". routeone. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  19. Halford, Paul (27 March 2023). "LTA partnerships are crucial, says First Bus MD". routeone. Retrieved 27 March 2023. The unveiling of the Wrightbus GB Kite Electroliner single-decker at First Leicester's depot last week was a significant step as 18 more were also put on order to add to the 86 already on their way.
  20. "Wrightbus in new deal to deliver 18 zero emission buses for Leicester". The Irish News. 21 March 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  21. "Oxford Bus Company to take 104 Wrightbus electrics". routeone. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
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