EV bus roll-out promises cleaner, quieter journeys

"This significant investment by Stagecoach Midlands, supported by Warwickshire County Council and other partners, marks a pivotal moment for public transport in our region."

Stagecoach Midlands has begun work to increase its existing battery-electric bus fleet to 92 an expansion which, when complete, will mean that 45% of the operator’s vehicles in Warwickshire have moved to zero-emission.

UK built Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV double-deckers and China sourced Yutong E10 and E12 single-deckers are the vehicle types chosen for the transition, with the project representing a spend of over £46 million.

Of that sum, £28.4 million is from Stagecoach. The remainder is from the All Electric Bus City competition won by Coventry, and the second round of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme (ZEBRA 2), which provided £4.3m, and Warwick District Council through section 106 contributions. Warwickshire County Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority are the other local authorities (LAs) involved.

ZEBRA 2 expands on the success of ZEBRA 1 and supports the adoption of zero emission bus (ZEB) technology and supporting infrastructure in rural facing areas. It focuses on increasing the number of local transport authorities that introduce ZEBs, spreading the investment of ZEBs and supporting the long-term goal of transitioning the entire UK bus fleet.

Solar power has been installed at Stagecoach depots in Leamington Spa and Nuneaton in partnership with VEV, which has also provided charging infrastructure. The fleet is split across those operating centres and Rugby.

The first tranche of publicly subsidised electric bus rollout by Stagecoach Midlands began in late 2024. The second deployment will continue in phases over the summer, the operator says.

Stagecoach's Managing Director, Mark Whitelocks, said: “This investment marks a major milestone in our journey to deliver a cleaner, smarter transport network for the Midlands. By expanding our electric fleet to 92 vehicles, we are not only reducing emissions but also improving air quality for our communities and future generations.

“It is a proud moment for our team and a testament to the power of partnership between Stagecoach, LAs, and government. Together, we are delivering real change on the road to net-zero.”

Mark Ryder, Warwickshire County Council's Executive Director for Communities, said: "This significant investment by Stagecoach Midlands, supported by Warwickshire County Council and other partners, marks a pivotal moment for public transport in our region. Increasing our electric bus fleet to 92 vehicles, with 45% of the Warwickshire depot's buses now electric, demonstrates a strong commitment to reducing emissions and improving air quality for our residents. We are proud to be part of this initiative, bringing quieter, cleaner, and more accessible journeys to our communities."

Earlier this year, VEV worked with Milence to open the UK’s first dedicated truck and commercial vehicle charging facility in the Midlands at Immingham Port. The Stagecoach charging facilities at Leamington, Nuneaton and Rugby will not be in constant use by the bus fleet, so there may be opportunities for commercial vehicle operators to access the facilities during the downtime.

This new fleet of EV buses will require different skill sets in terms of vehicle maintenance and servicing. The company will be joining other businesses with Warwickshire Skills Hub at their next Future Skills Round Table covering the Auto Retail & Aftercare on Thursday, 18th September to share their experience and challenges of reskilling their workforce. 

• For more information on the Future Skills Fund, and to express interest in joining the round table on September 18th contact Louise Stolz on LouiseStolz@warwickshire.gov.uk
• To discuss potential opportunities to access the commercial vehicle and bus charging facilities at Leamington/ Nuneaton/ Rugby, contact Marvin Smith at Stagecoach Midlands: marvin.smith@stagecoach.com