Arrival, the developer of a new method of design and production of affordable electric vehicles (EVs) by local microfactories, has started trials of the Arrival Bus at a testing facility (MIRA) in the UK. The vehicles will be going through rigorous validation and testing ahead of certification.

The Arrival Bus takes advantage of Arrival’s software ecosystem, enabling full connectivity, digital customization, and deep access to vehicle behavior and data. The vehicle can be tailored to meet local cities’ needs with its modular design, which enables configuration of length, range, battery, and passenger capacity.

The first Arrival Bus features up to three doors, with flexible passenger seating capacity across the entire flat floor, allowing for greater accessibility, as well as creating more usable standing space and the ability for passengers to travel more comfortably.  The vehicle also has wrap-around exterior and interior screens, adaptable lighting, a transparent roof, and a suite of digital features.

The Bus uses in-house components that are also found on the Arrival Van and Car, and Arrival’s lightweight recyclable composite materials.  This, alongside common suspension and the wheels and tyres at front and rear, means the Bus is estimated to be lighter than other battery-electric buses in the market today.

Following proving ground trials, Arrival will commence public road trials of the Bus with First Bus—one of the UK’s largest transport operators—in Q1 2022.  The trials will see Arrival’s vehicles operating on existing First Bus routes in the UK. Arrival is expected to begin production for the Bus in Q2 2022.