Wrightbus secures order for Electroliners in Hong Kong

Wrightbus, a flag-bearer for the UK manufacturing sector, has secured a landmark order from Asia for its groundbreaking 6x2 StreetDeck Electroliner double-deck.

Hong Kong’s Citybus has ordered 20 of the landmark buses, heralding the first global order for the new triple-axle vehicles - 23 years after the company’s buses first landed in the region.

The 12-metre StreetDeck Electroliners, with 82 seats, capacity for 130 passengers, and an operating range of up to 300km, will be built at the Wrightbus manufacturing facility in Malaysia, supporting the company’s growing Asia Pacific operations.

The £7m deal will see the high-tech zero-emission buses delivered in 2027.

The order represents a “major milestone” for Wrightbus, which is celebrating 80 years at the forefront of UK manufacturing and innovation, as it extends its zero-emission offering internationally, following the success of the StreetDeck in the UK.

Jo Bamford CBE, Executive Chairman of Wrightbus, said: “This is a hugely significant order for Wrightbus and a major milestone for the new 6x2 StreetDeck Electroliner. 

“The StreetDeck has become the leading double-deck bus in the UK and we are proud to now be bringing that proven technology and operational experience to customers in Asia.

“Today, more than 3,000 Wrightbus zero-emission buses are already in service, collectively covering over 200 million kilometres. That experience, across both battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell technologies, gives operators confidence that our vehicles are reliable, efficient and fully supported by expert engineering and field service teams.

“This order also demonstrates the strength of our growing international manufacturing strategy. By producing these vehicles at our Malaysia facility, we are able to support customers across Asia more effectively while also freeing capacity in our Ballymena factory, as global demand for zero-emission transport continues to grow.”

Citybus selected Wrightbus following an open tender process evaluating technical capability, and commercial value.

Daniel Castro, Regional Director Asia Pacific for Wrightbus, said: “Securing this contract with Citybus represents a key step in Wrightbus’s expansion into Asia Pacific. Hong Kong is one of the most demanding double-deck bus markets in the world, and this order reflects confidence in both our product and our ability to deliver and support fleets at scale in the region.

“The introduction of the 6x2 StreetDeck Electroliner has been driven by the high-capacity requirements of international operators, and this project provides a strong platform for further growth across Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand”

Founded in 1946 and celebrating its 80th year in business, Wrightbus pioneered aluminium framing and low-floor technology as well as building the iconic London ‘Boris’ bus and the world’s first hydrogen double decker.

More than 2,300 people work for Wrightbus across its operations in Northern Ireland, Germany and Malaysia, creating another 7,500 jobs in the global supply chain.