‘Significant milestone’ as Heliox/First electric collaboration expands

Rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging systems provider Heliox and First Bus are announcing a significant expansion of their collaboration.

The expanded partnership is to see the development of five new electric bus charging depots. These depots will be strategically located in Bristol, Weston-super-Mare, Minehead, Taunton and Basildon, and have been made possible thanks to an £89 million investment from First Bus and supported by the UK Government’s ZEBRA 2 funding. It will see 178 new electric buses deployed across four regions.

Heliox and First Bus have previously worked together to develop the UK’s largest electric bus depot (capable of charging 178 vehicles simultaneously) ahead of the COP26 summit in Glasgow in 2021. Since then, the two companies have continued to work together to deliver a network of nine operational electric bus charging depots across Scotland (Glasgow Caledonia, Glasgow Scotstoun and Aberdeen) and England (York, Leeds Bramley, Leicester, Norwich, Portsmouth Hoeford, and Summercourt Cornwall). In Summercourt, Cornwall, the charging hub is the first-of-its-kind for the bus industry, providing direct access for the public to rapid charging infrastructure for electric cars and vans. The companies have collaborated closely to design the depots as innovative, dual-purpose facilities that optimise space efficiency.

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with First Bus on their journey towards a zero-emission fleet” – Stephen Wood, Heliox Country Manager UK & Ireland

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.”

“Our partnership with Heliox has enabled us to electrify our depots and introduce cutting-edge electric buses” – Faizan Ahmad, Decarbonisation Programme Director, First Bus

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.”