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Investigateselectric busesBUSES LYING IDLE, waiting for charging infrastructure, staff training and testing.
These are among the various issues reported in recent years about the electric bus rollout, with fleets of buses stalled for many months, and longer in some cases.
After several readers contacted us about these problems, The Journal Investigates put them to the National Transport Authority (NTA).
In a 17-page briefing note provided to our team, the State body detailed the numerous “teething problems” that have arisen over the past two years.
These issues are “potentially impactful”, according to the NTA, who said: “That is why the ongoing work by NTA, the transport operators, the bus manufacturers and other suppliers in addressing and resolving them is so important”.
The main problem reported to date was delays in charging infrastructure, with none being installed prior to the purchase of the electric buses.
The Irish Independent reported that this resulted in more than 130 new electric buses lying idle in bus depots across Dublin back in July 2023.
The NTA told us that planning for electrification of Dublin Bus depots began in 2019 but delays occurred as two seperate tender competitions had to be cancelled.
This “caused a consequential delay in the electrification of bus depots within the Dublin Metropolitan Area and the rollout of battery-electric bus fleet”.
There are now 136 high-power charging guns installed within the Dublin region. The NTA also said that it used “a contractor framework” which “will deliver a further 100 charging guns” on top of those currently available in Dublin depots.
The Journal Investigates can also reveal that these charging delays were not the only problems encountered with the rollout. The single-deck and double-deck battery-electric buses themselves had a lot of “teething issues”.
The NTA said that “some of the teething issues experienced have resulted in the battery-electric buses being out of service for periods of time”, but added:
“As part of the mitigation of potential risks associated with the introduction of the new battery-electric bus fleet, the NTA ensured that there were sufficient spare buses available from the existing bus fleet to meet the timetabled service requirements.”
Following numerous emails from readers, The Journal Investigates asked the NTA for detailed records on the battery-electric bus fleet through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.
This request was initially refused and our team appealed this decision. Following this, the NTA prepared and sent an extensive briefing document to us in relation to the new bus fleet.
This details the planned and complete electrification of the bus fleet in locations across the country, and importantly the issues encountered to date.
From it, it is clear that though charging infrastructure was planned since 2019, it was plagued by issues with tender competitions, resulting in significant delays. These were reported in various media outlets, as new buses were stalled waiting to hit the capital’s streets.
The initial procurement competition for Dublin Bus depots — launched in 2021 — was cancelled “due to the tenders being non-compliant with the rules of the tender competition”, the NTA said.
This resulted “in a delay to the planned rollout of charging equipment”. Since then, a revised tender competition was launched and charging infrastructure was commissioned towards the end of 2023.
“There are now 56 charging guns and associated infrastructure installed at Summerhill bus depot, with a further 80 charging guns installed at Phibsboro bus depot.
“A total of 136 high-power charging guns are therefore currently available to support the operation of battery-electric buses within the Dublin region.”
The briefing note also details problems with a tender to install chargers in two further Dublin Bus depots at Harristown and Ringsend.
This was initiated in 2022 but the “competition had to be cancelled in November 2023 as it was not possible for [Dublin Bus] to conclude a contract with the selected tenderer”. The NTA said:
“The necessary cancellations by [Dublin Bus] of two tender competitions for the installation of charging equipment has caused a consequential delay in the electrification of bus depots within the Dublin Metropolitan Area and the rollout of battery-electric bus fleet.”
To mitigate this, the NTA used its “contractor framework” to install charging equipment in the Harristown depot, in collaboration with Dublin Bus. In addition, Dublin Bus “negotiated the provision of an extra 20 charging guns at Phibsboro bus depot”.
“Taken together, these plans will deliver a further 100 charging guns on top of the 136 guns currently available in the Dublin depots,” the NTA added.
The problems identified by readers were not only related to charging infrastructure but the electric buses themselves.
The NTA listed 12 such “teething issues” for single-deck and 18 for double-deck buses. Not all of these were because the buses were battery-electric, but 2 issues for single-deck buses and 5 for double-deck were directly related to this.
Sensor failures in heating and ventilation systems, insufficient heating, charging issues and corrosion of certain parts are among the issues identified that directly relate to the fact that the buses are battery-electric.
Other issues have also been identified that are not exclusive to battery-electric buses, including rollback while coming to a stop or moving slowly on extreme gradients, parking brake warning not sounding, wheel hub and alignment issues and parts being damaged or requiring renewal more frequently.
The issues relating to the buses “are being dealt with under the normal warranty clauses of the bus supply contracts”, the NTA said. “This means that there have been no direct costs borne by the NTA in addressing these issues.”
It is clear from the issues detailed that drivers and passengers have been busy reporting problems they have encountered.
One example is an atypical brake pedal response reported in double-deck buses.
Bus Éireann reported that “that the ‘feel’ of the braking system (i.e. the response of the bus in response to depression of the brake pedal) is different on certain buses”. This is being investigated and trial software has been installed on three buses in Limerick.
Another is “insufficient heating” in the driving cab and passenger saloon of single-deck buses. Both drivers and passengers have reported that the heating and ventilation system is not heating the interior of the bus to the same extent as they would be accustomed to on a diesel-only bus.
The NTA said that this system “is designed to minimise energy consumption in order to maximise the range of the bus”, but this issue has been reported and is being investigated by the system’s supplier.
Passengers also felt cold in new double-deck buses which have a heat-pump thermal management system, according to the NTA. This is currently under investigation, with a focus on the control software, including the intuitiveness of the driver controls.
Other rollouts have been more successful. The Athlone bus service became Ireland’s first 100% zero-emission town bus service in January 2023.
The local depot operates 11 single-deck battery-electric buses and has nine charging stations equipped with 18 charging guns. The NTA said:
“In the two years since the buses entered service, they have driven more than one million zero-emission kilometres, resulting in a substantial reduction in the emission of CO2 and other pollutants along the routes they have traversed.”
The NTA said that feedback has been “very positive” and the introduction of the new buses “has contributed in no small way to the significant increase in passengers”.
The State body is “keen to build on this success by introducing further battery-electric buses on other town bus services in Ireland”.
This success is likely due to the fact that these type of buses were trialed and tested by other countries. The NTA told us that the single-deck buses “benefitted from several years of hard-won operational experience in London and elsewhere”.
The rollout of the double-deck buses received “more nuanced” driver feedback, though it was “positive overall”, the NTA said. “Passenger feedback has also been mainly positive.”
In terms of charging infrastructure, there was some “teething issues” in Limerick, but “these have been less pronounced than Dublin”, the NTA said.
The first-phase of electrification of Limerick city’s bus service included the installation of 30 high-power charging guns in the Roxboro bus depot. The second phase “is nearing completion”, with a further 40 charging guns.
This “will enable all Limerick city bus services provided by [Bus Éireann] to be operated by zero-emission double-deck battery-electric buses”, the NTA said.
There are also plans in place for the installation of 70 charging guns in Bus Éireann’s Galway depot. Once in place, these will enable all of Bus Éireann’s Galway city’s bus services to be operated by battery-electric buses.
Further electrification of bus depots in Dublin, Cork, Sligo and elsewhere is also planned.
Maria Delaney is the editor of The Journal Investigates. Is there an issue, local or national, that you feel needs to be investigated? Contact our team here >>
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