A new partnership will see the implementation of three fully electric bus depots, serving Dundee and the wider Glasgow areas of Inchinnan and Johnstone.
Zenobe Energy, an independent owner and operator of battery storage which powers 20% of the EV bus market in the UK, has partnered with McGill’s to bring electric bus services to Glasgow, Renfrewshire and Dundee.
The partnership will see three depots being electrified, with capacity for further expansion, going live in 2021, helping to facilitate the launch of 68 electric buses.
The investment in electric charging infrastructure at the three depots makes a significant step towards Scotland’s drive to net zero. The depots will go live ahead of COP26, which will be held in Glasgow, and the new fleets will serve the event, showcasing Scotland’s investment in sustainable transport, while all eyes are on the UK’s net zero progress.
The partnership follows McGill’s recent £32.5 million electric fleet investment, partly funded by the Scottish Government’s Scottish Ultra Low Emissions Bus Scheme (SULEB), which was set up to help drive the adoption of sustainable transport in Scotland. The SULEB scheme has pumped over £50 million into Scotland’s renewable transport sector, helping the UK move towards achieving its legally binding net zero ambitions.
Zenobe Energy is project managing the infrastructure implementation and implementing an end-to-end software solution to manage both the vehicles and the fleet charging, as well as the resulting power requirements.
Steven Meersman, a co-founder of Zenobe Energy, said: “We are thrilled to be working with McGill’s, a home-grown company just like Zenobe, embracing the EV bus transition with an ambitious strategy to develop three key depots. This exciting project will help to boost accessibility to sustainable travel in Scotland and support the UK’s drive towards net zero.
“The three depots are a glowing example of what’s possible when private organisations and the government work together towards a common goal, and what British companies can achieve together.”
Ralph Roberts, CEO McGill’s Buses said: “This is another industry leading step towards decarbonising our business. We are delighted to be working with Zenobe on these projects and their track record of quality and delivery is what attracted us to them.”
