Heliox collaborates with First Bus
Rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging system firm Heliox and UK bus operator First Bus have collaborated with the development of five new electric bus charging depots.
The depots will be strategically located in Bristol, Weston-super-Mare, Minehead, Taunton, and Basildon. It has been made possible through an £89 million investment from First Bus, which has also been supported by £16m from the UK Government’s ZEBRA 2 funding programme.
The investment will see 178 new electric buses deployed across the four regions.
Heliox and First Bus have collaborated closely to design their depots as dual-purpose facilities that optimise space efficiency, serving not only First Bus’s electric fleet, but also offer electric charging to local businesses.
The partnership has also implemented cable management solutions with remote-controlled overhead gantries, ensuring safe, efficient, and reliable charging operations at their depots.
Once completed, Heliox and First Bus will have collaborated on 14 electric bus charging depots and the operator will have around 800 electric buses, marking a step in the company’s pledge to operate a fully zero-emission bus fleet by 2035.
The announcement follows the two firms partnering on one of the UK’s largest electric bus depot, capable of charging 178 vehicles simultaneously, ahead of the 2021 COP26 summit in Glasgow.
In the last three years, the two firms have worked on an additional network of nine operational electric bus charging depots across Scotland and England.
At Summercourt in Cornwall, the charging hub is one of the first-of-its-kind for the bus industry, providing direct access for the public to rapid charging infrastructure for electric cars and vans.
Stephen Wood, Heliox Country Manager UK & Ireland, said:
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with First Bus on their journey towards a zero-emission fleet.
“The huge £89m investment from First Bus and support from the ZEBRA 2 funding programme has enabled us to play a vital role in accelerating the transition to electric public transport, particularly in rural areas. These new charging depots will be instrumental in achieving this goal.”
Faizan Ahmad, Decarbonisation Programme Director, First Bus said:
“These projects mark another significant milestone in our commitment to a zero-emission bus fleet across the UK. 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.”
Image courtesy of First Bus