Oxford Bus completes electric roll out

Oxford Bus Company has completed its roll out of electric buses in Oxford.

The Go-Ahead-owned operator has now rolled out 104 electric vehicles onto the road as part of its commitment to sustainability and its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint in Oxford. The vehicles are used on its city fleets, BROOKESbus service and City Sightseeing Oxford open-top tours. They comprise of 91 Streetdeck Electroliners, five GB Kite Electroliners and eight open top Electroliners.

The electric buses were phased in over a nine-month period, with the first entering service in November last year.

The 104 electric buses are currently travelling an average of 70,000 zero-emission miles every week around the county.

To mark the electrification milestone Oxford Bus Company held a public engagement event at Bonn Square, Oxford, to showcase the vehicles, share information and answer questions.

“It has been a tremendous achievement to roll out so many buses over such a short space of time” – Luke Marion, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Company

Luke Marion, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Company, said: “This groundbreaking investment and roll out of our all-electric city fleet is already delivering lower emissions, quieter and smoother journeys, and better air quality for our city.

“It has been a tremendous achievement to roll out so many buses over such a short space of time, along with all the charging infrastructure to support this, and I’m very proud of everyone who helped deliver this ambitious infrastructure project on schedule.”

Oxford Bus Company also installed an electricity substation at its Cowley depot to support the rapid charging of the electric buses. EV fleet specialist Zenobē fitted 104 chargers into the depot. A full charge takes three to four hours and each vehicle can travel for up to 200 miles on a charge.

“Our work with Oxford Bus demonstrates with the right approach to financing and partnership between the public and private sector” – Steven Meersman, Co-Founder Director of Zenobē

Steven Meersman, Co-Founder Director of Zenobē, said: “Our work with Oxford Bus demonstrates with the right approach to financing and partnership between the public and private sector, bus fleet electrification can be achieved at speed and scale to deliver a more sustainable public transport system and improved air quality.”

“I’m so thrilled to see these beautiful vehicles gliding noiselessly around our city” – Cllr Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management,

Cllr Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “I’m so thrilled to see these beautiful vehicles gliding noiselessly around our city instead of the diesel vehicles they have replaced, making the air we all breathe significantly better. Their presence demonstrates how the county council is backing its ambitions with political and financial capital, alongside our partners, to deliver a safer, cleaner, greener, better county for residents and visitors. Together with policies such as traffic filters to hugely increase bus efficiency, we are delivering on our vision of a better future.”

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