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First Bus partners with Heliox to develop five EV charging depots

24 October 2024 #Other #TNB News

First Bus has partnered with rapid charging systems firm Heliox to develop five new electric bus depots at Bristol, Weston-super-Mare, Minehead, Taunton, and Basildon.

The sites have been made possible due to an £89 million investment from First Bus and support from the UK Government’s ZEBRA 2 funding programme.

With a combined capacity to charge more than 190 vehicles simultaneously, the five new depots will play a crucial role in First Bus’s journey towards a zero emission fleet.

First Bus will have about 800 electric buses on completion of these projects – marking a huge step in the company’s pledge to operate a fully zero emission bus fleet by 2035.

Heliox and First Bus launched the UK’s largest electric bus depot – capable of charging 178 vehicles simultaneously – before the COP26 summit in Glasgow, Scotland in 2021.

The two companies have continued to work together to deliver a network of nine operational electric bus charging depots across Scotland and England.

The First Bus charging hub at Summercourt in Cornwall is the first-of-its-kind for the bus industry, providing direct access for the public to rapid charging infrastructure for electric cars and vans.

Faizan Ahmad, Decarbonisation Programme Director, First Bus said: “Our partnership with Heliox has enabled us to electrify our depots and introduce cutting-edge electric buses, delivering cleaner air and a better passenger experience.

“As a leader in sustainable transport, we’re committed to working with both central and local governments to support national decarbonisation goals and encourage more people to choose bus travel.”

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