First Bus charging depots now open to third party use

The UK-based commercial charging service Paua has just launched Paua Share, a new scheme which gives commercial EV fleets access to charging at shared First Bus depots. It means Paua's business fleet customers gain access to 11 depot locations fitted with fast chargers.

The process for signing up is relatively simple. Fleets undergo a ‘matchmaking’ process with a depot, which sees them agree to sharing terms encompassing things such as access hours, site specific rules, or health and safety. Then, all drivers have to do is use the Paula app to navigate to the site then begin charging using their Paua Card or app. This information is then recorded in a fleet manager dashboard with costs stored fleet-wide and billing information provided directly to the customer.

Each of the depot locations under the Paua Share scheme are fitted with chargers ranging from 150 to 350 kW speeds, each powered by sustainable energy. As one of the UK’s largest bus operators, First Bus operates around 5500 buses – with around 1000 of these being electric – and has invested substantial sums into depot electrification. In fact, it already shares this infrastructure with third parties, but Paua Share is the first time that shared depots have been tied in with charging and payments in a single platform.

Paua states that shared depot charging is a ‘key pillar’ of its commercial charging network, and that the larger scale of First Bus sites is ideally suited to commercial vehicles and trucks. Paua Share was developed out of a Department for Transport-funded Innovate UK project, through which Paua collaborated with Cenex, Suffolk County Council and Oxfordshire County Council to develop mechanisms for depot sharing.

Niall Riddell, CEO of Paua, said: “We are delighted to be working with First Bus on this groundbreaking initiative. This partnership once again illustrates Paua’s leadership position. We envisage a European wide network of shared depots as we build Europe’s lowest cost commercial fleet charging network.”

Faizan Ahmad, First Bus’ Director of Decarbonisation, added: “Sharing depot infrastructure unlocks enormous potential for commercial fleets, accelerating the shift to zero-emission transport while making smarter use of existing assets. First Bus are proud to have been pioneers in this space and further innovation and collaboration, as showcased here by our partnership with Paua, are key to building a truly integrated, low-carbon transport network.”

paua.com