New retro-looking tram-style electric buses have been unveiled for one of London's longest routes

Retro-looking tram-style electric buses have been unveiled for one of London's longest bus routes. 

The fleet of 20 buses are being recharged with pantographs at each end of the 15-mile route 358 between Crystal Palace and Orpington in the south-east of the capital.

It means that the vehicles do not need to return to garages to recharge, reducing the fleet size required to serve the route. 

The pantographs are arm-like structures which attach to a bus roof and provide high-powered charging in as little as six minutes.

Called ieTrams, the futuristic-looking vehicles even have 360-degree cameras instead of wing mirrors.

Their covered wheels are designed to make road conditions safer for pedestrians and cyclists to avoid them being caught and dragged underneath them. 

Transport for London (TfL) said they also have a 'safer' front and features such as speed limits, audible warnings to alert pedestrians and other road users to the movements of the bus.

Spanish company Irizar has supplied 20 of the buses and the two pantograph chargers.

Pantograph technology was first introduced to London's bus network in 2022 with testing at Bexleyheath garage.

TfL's bus fleet has more than 1,400 buses categorised as 'zero emission' and all its other buses are designated 'low emission' and meet or exceed Euro VI emission standards. 

Lorna Murphy, director of buses at TfL, said: 'Installing new rapid-charging pantograph infrastructure on one of London's longest bus routes is an innovative step forward, helping us to run cleaner, greener services that get Londoners where they need to be.

'Working with partners across a range of different sectors on this project, we are showcasing how the broader shift to net zero can be achieved.

'The move to increase the number of zero-emission buses on the capital's streets is a key part of the Mayor's goal to make London a zero-carbon city.'

The seats on board have USB charging ports for passengers.

MailOnline understands that the 15-mile route 358 between Crystal Palace and Orpington is one of London's longest, and a standard garage charge alone would therefore not sustain a zero-emission bus for the entire day. 

Due to the length of the route, a pantograph at each end of the route, rather than back at the garage, will mean buses receive a quick boost on the spot.

The idea is that with minimal turnaround time, fewer buses can provide the same level of service.

Tom Joyner, managing director of Go-Ahead London which operates the buses, said: 'I am incredibly proud of the strides we've made this year in our journey toward a zero-emission future.

'Go-Ahead London is leading the way in driving the transition to zero-emission buses, with 636 electric vehicles now operating across our network.'