Evan Evans has joined the slowly increasing number of coach operators who have taken the decision to invest in a battery-electric coach
Evan Evans Tours has invested in a fully electric zero-emission coach for guided day trips. The new electric coach will allow the company to show visitors iconic British sites in a more environmentally-friendly way on selected day tours from London. The operator said that its new purchase represents the first time that an electric coach has been used for guided day trips from the capital, marking a major breakthrough for London’s longest-established sightseeing tour operator, which started offering London tours in 1933.
The new Yutong TCe12 can travel up to 200 miles on a full charge and will be used on a range of day trips including the operator’s Buckingham Palace and Royal Windsor tour, Warner Bros. Studio tour and selected London day tours. As well as providing a more sustainable way to travel, the new coach offers guests features including complimentary WiFi, USB charging points and air-conditioning. The coach is also equipped with a wheelchair lift, ensuring easy access for guests with reduced mobility.
Recognising the firm’s responsibility to care for the planet, Tom Macklin, Managing Director of Evan Evans Tours, explained: “We are excited to be launching our first fully electric zero-emission coach to our valued guests from around the world, who want to enjoy guided day tours around London, while helping to reduce our carbon footprint.
“These first zero-emission tour departures are part of Evan Evans’ contribution to our sustainability strategy, ‘How We TreadRight’.” TreadRight is a joint not-for-profit initiative established by Evan Evans’ parent company The Travel Corporation (TTC) to support community-based projects worldwide that help to safeguard the planet, people and wildlife.
“This is a genuinely exciting first step towards our goal to achieve net zero. We are in the throes of having TTC’s science-based carbon reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative, and transitioning our fleet of vehicles will play a pivotal role in achieving our net zero ambition,” added Shannon Guihan, Chief Sustainability Officer at TTC. “We hope the introduction of Evan Evans’ first electric coach shows guests what’s possible and what they can expect from us in future.”
