Stagecoach announces first fully electric bus fleet and depot

UK bus company Stagecoach has just announced plans for its first fully electric fleet and depot in the town of Stockton-on-Tees. The Stockton depot will add a number of Yutong EVs to its fleet, including E12s and the company's first Yutong double-decker bus.

Stagecoach has already been electrifying its fleet for a number of years, but typically this has been in addition to existing petrol and diesel fleets. For example, over 10 per cent of its 8400-vehicle fleet is electrified, while 43 of its depots are set to have EV infrastructure (i.e. charging points) by the end of this year.

But this initiative in Stockton-on-Tees will mark the first time that Stagecoach has implemented a fully electric fleet and depot in a single location. The company did not confirm how many EVs will make up the fleet, but stated it will consist of Yutong EVs including the E12 and Yutong DD.

In addition to operating electric buses on public transport routes, the Stockton depot will operate a B2B offering under the banner of Stagecoach Solutions. This will give local and regional businesses access to the charging infrastructure at the depot during off-peak service hours – something that Stagecoach states will help create a secondary income stream.

Claire Miles, CEO of Stagecoach, said: “This announcement marks an exciting and important step on our journey to deliver a smarter, and more sustainable transport network. Not only are we investing in quieter, zero tail pipe emission buses for our communities, but we’re also transforming our infrastructure to build a more efficient and future-ready business.”

Ian Downie, Head of Yutong UK, meanwhile said: “This is about more than just the vehicles – it is about sustainability, about community and the partnership within this region and the innovation that Stagecoach are bringing in looking at it on a depot basis it to me a blueprint that could be cascaded across the whole country.”

The project in Stockton accompanies a range of activities that Stagecoach is currently undergoing across the UK. In March, Stagecoach announced that VEV (a Vitol subsidiary) had just completed work on a new electric bus hub in Derbyshire to support the deployment of 57 electric buses. Plus, in November, the company’s Coventry branch received 64 new electric buses for service across the city.

stagecoachgroup.com