NEW - Horrid Hybrid wrightbus in Maidstone

These buses are Wrightbus 2 powered by Volvo B5L electric motor assist semi hybrids with engine start/stop.
It annoys me that Arriva go on about how green these buses are, when Enviro 400Hs are far far more greener than these wrightbuses, as they are true diesel-electric hybrids.
I was looking forward to having Hybrids in my local area, I was so disappointed that it had to be these.
But what makes me cross is the pathetic gearbox that these buses have. Every time it changes gear the bus loses acceleration (this is particularly bad when going up a hill where it slows down by several miles per hour when changing gear - It loses momentum which is not green at all.)
HAVE ALL OF THE SEAMLESS GEARCHANGING INNOVATIONS BY VOITH, ALLISON AND ZF NOT COUNTED FOR ANYTHING?
beno.org.uk

[@joshuahalla.k.a.controlla6333]

Great video. ☺

[@BertiePendergast]

Hi Ben, I completely agree with you. I took a ride on these on the new 71s the day they were launched and I was not impressed at all! The engine always starting and stopping became very annoying and you can tell that they are hardly hybrid since the electric motor is used only under a low speed. I also noticed that the bus loses acceleration often.
But what do you expect from Arriva :(

[@the_alex_ellis_channel6923]

Wait, is this single deck or double?

[@5-Consecutive-Hairpin-Turns]

double

[@neoman7792]

These are nice ! But to be honest they are not a hybrid at all, it's basically stop-start technology, true hybrids have no gears, can't help but like these

[@michaeldonnelly9190]

lol you all no nothing haha. that electric motor is constantly working with the engine. If you drove these buses you would know. Do some research lol

[@benolifts]

+Michael Donnelly If the motor was constantly works then why doesn't it power it through the crap gear changes.
I couldn't drive one of these. It would make me sick. I would want it to accelerate and it keeps cutting out.
What idiot decided to put a single clutch gearbox in a bus. The person who made this decision needs to be banned from designing buses.

[@Jefferson1228]

+Beno When performing a hill start, I must agree that it's quite painful, especially when waiting for the Diesel engine to kick in.