In 2021, bus manufacturer Mellor from Rochdale (in the Manchester region of the UK) presented a new family of city buses under the series name ‘Sigma’. The idea was to have six types with lengths from 7 to 12 metres (in increments of one metre more from Sigma 7, Sigma 8 etc. to Sigma 12). The plans were ambitious, as the Sigma was to be sold not only in the UK, but also elsewhere in the world. Including in Germany. Jebsen & Jessen in Hamburg was acquired as a sales partner. In summer 2023, Mellor and Jebsen & Jessen also delivered the first three Mellor Sigma 7s (for 31 passengers) to Kieler Verkehrs Gesellschaft (KVG), where they were given the operating numbers 361 to 363. They are used on routes on the outskirts of the city with roads that full-size buses would not be able to pass.
A Mellor Sigma 7 was already in test operation in a few German cities in autumn 2022. In Bonn, for example, and in Kiel, among other places, they are in regular service, see here: https://www.urban-transport-magazine.com/en/mellor-sigma-electric-buses-for-kiel/ .
The Sigma buses were created in such a way that their bodyshells were produced by ‘Wisdom Motor’ in China, which was only founded in 2019. They were then shipped to Rochdale, where Mellor completed them into finished electric buses.
The Dumarey Group from Belgium becomes the new owner
In 2024, Mellor was sold to the Belgian Dumarey Group, which has long been involved in automotive construction. Under the direction of Dumarey, Mellor continues to manufacture minibuses based on the Iveco Daily, MAN TGE and Mercedes Sprinter. Dumarey, on the other hand, has no interest in continuing to build the Sigma series.
Wisdom from China did not want to leave it at that. ‘We have already manufactured the bodyshells, so we can continue to do that and supply the entire vehicle at the same time.’ And under the unchanged series name ‘Sigma’.
A ‘Wisdom Sigma 7’ was on display at the Jebsen & Jessen stand at the ‘mobility move’ electric bus exhibition organised by the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) in Berlin. The vehicle, which will go to Regensburger Verkehrsbetriebe (RVB) under the company number 599, essentially still looks like the previous Sigma 7 from Mellor, albeit with the Wisdom brand logo on the front. However, Wisdom wants to give the little one a completely new outfit that makes it look a little more dynamic. At its stand at ‘mobility move’, Jebsen & Jessen reported that it had concluded a purchase agreement with Kiel-based KVG for a further three Sigma 7s, now in the new design.
Technical data
Jebsen & Jessen supplies the small Sigma in three sizes: Sigma 7, Sigma 8 and Sigma 9.
The Sigma 7 is 6.99 metres long, 2.10 metres wide and 3.10 metres high. It can carry 31 passengers. Its LFP batteries (lithium iron phosphate) have a capacity of 127 kWh.
Its length as a Sigma 8 is 8.73 metres, its width is 2.35 metres and its height is the same for all three versions at 3.10 metres. The batteries can have a capacity of 210 or 255 kWh, depending on customer requirements, and the vehicle can carry 54 passengers. This is a huge leap compared to the small Sigma 7 and explains the larger batteries.
The largest of the trio, the Sigma 9, has the same width and height as the Sigma 8 and a length of 9.40 metres, which enables it to carry six more passengers and thus 60 people to their destination. The battery equipment options are the same as those offered by the Sigma 8.
Wisdom Sigma 10
In addition to the three small models, Wisdom is also announcing a Sigma 10. However, it will be visually very different from its smaller brothers and already look like a large bus. And it will not only be an electric bus, but above all a real low-floor bus.
Jebsen & Jessen also imports the Spanish Irizar electric buses
In addition to the vehicles from Wisdom, Jebsen & Jessen also imports and distributes buses from the Spanish manufacturer Irizar. At ‘mobility move’, an 18-metre-long articulated electric bus of the type ‘Irizar ieBus 18’ was on display, which is being supplied to the Bremen tramway as vehicle 4505.
14.05.2025
