摘要: |
The higher front-end price of electric city buses is no barrier to their introduction to fleets, says Ian Downie, head of Yutong sales at UK importer Pelican Engineering. Operators should not be deterred by the initial price, which he admits can be twice the cost of a diesel equivalent, because running costs and downtime are so much less, he asserts. In fact, the initial outlay can be reduced by 40 or 50% by leasing the battery while purchasing the bus outright. A similar mechanism has been used by Renault Group in the passenger car market. Renault Zoe drivers can opt to lease batteries for a monthly, mileage-dependent, fee to reduce the up-front purchase cost of the vehicle. Downie points to Zenobe as having been a successful partner for Yutong customers in the UK. |