UK set to have Europe’s largest electric bus fleet
The UK is set to have the largest electric bus fleet in Europe by 2024, according to forecasts by Accuracy, the global independent advisory firm.
The number of these buses is projected to grow by close to 180% from approximately 1,000 to 2,800 vehicles.
Poland currently has the second-largest fleet of zero-emission buses in Europe with around 800 of them. The Netherlands and Italy have the third and fourth largest fleets with around 600 buses each. Germany only has 550 in its urban fleet, the fifth largest in Europe. France is currently in sixth place with around 500, around half the number of zero-emission buses in the UK currently.
Across Europe, the number of electric buses is forecast to increase by 189% over the next three years with substantial growth in France and the Nordic countries. Despite this, those countries are still forecasted to trail the number of UK zero-emission buses in 2024.
The number of urban electric buses in the UK has been boosted by investment by TfL. At the beginning of 2021, TfL’s fleet featured more than 400 buses fully powered by electricity. This included the UK’s first full routes serviced entirely by electric double decker buses. Around 300 additional zero-emission buses are expected to join the fleet by the end of the year.
“The growth in UK’s electric bus fleet has been driven by continued Government investment” – Aurélie Quéromès, Manager at Accuracy
Aurélie Quéromès, Manager at Accuracy, said: “The growth in UK’s electric bus fleet has been driven by continued Government investment. Many countries are now stepping up investment into their electric bus fleet to meet their Zero Emission targets.
“The pandemic has had a huge impact on public transport across the world, so it is more important now than ever that Governments continue to commit funds to Zero Emission infrastructure projects.
“Manufacturers of electric buses may need support in the short term to help restart the supply chain of ZE buses. Therefore, Governments and private investors could aim to bridge the funding gap between operators and manufacturers to ensure they meet climate change targets in time.”