484 New Electric Buses Funded By UK Government

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Electric buses may be one of the best uses of electrified mass transit, because they move large numbers of people each day they are in service. Their electric motors are more energy efficient than internal combustion engines and they have regenerative braking. They also don’t directly generate toxic emissions, so passengers and drivers are not exposed to harmful air pollution. Additionally, electricity costs less than gasoline or diesel fuel. There are many benefits electric buses possess that diesel buses do not.

The UK government is tuned into these benefits. It recently chose to provide more funding to purchase about 484 new electric buses.

“Buses are the backbone of our public transport system, and passengers in Liverpool, Nottinghamshire and West Northamptonshire deserve a network they can rely on and be proud of. This funding will replace polluting diesel buses with new electric vehicles that will make a real difference to people’s daily lives, better connecting them to work, to healthcare and to opportunity, whilst cleaning up the air we all breathe,” Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander said.

“We’re delivering better connections for people getting about their daily lives, and I’m proud to back the regions’ ambition to do it.”

Another benefit electric buses can provide is sometimes overlooked. If they are connected to a grid through bidirectional charging technology or a similar technology, they may be used to form a virtual power plant to support local grids for backup electricity. Not at all electric buses are used in this manager, but the potential to use them this way exists. When virtual power plants are formed and using EV batteries, there is less need to build gas-powered peaker plants for backup electricity.

The majority of the new electric bus funding is for three areas within the UK: 

• South Yorkshire — £33.4 million for 186 buses
• Tees Valley — £11 million for 82 buses
• Devon — £7.53 million for 90 buses.

“Today’s investment means we can get on with the job even faster. Upgrading Olive Grove to a fully electric depot and bringing almost 200 new zero‑emission buses into service is a huge step forward for South Yorkshire. It means cleaner air, more reliable buses and a much better experience for people,” said Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire.