Stagecoach orders 170 electric buses for Stockport
UK public transport operator Stagecoach has announced the company’s largest electric bus order to date. Stagecoach plans to invest up to £37.2 million (€42.3 million) to procure a new fleet of 170 electric buses for use in Stockport, Manchester.
The order includes 150 electric double-decker buses and 20 solo buses, all of which are due to enter service in summer 2024. The buses will be the same type as the 27 electric buses that were ordered by Stagecoach for Ayrshire, which are based on the BZL Electric chassis from Volvo Buses. The bodies are to be built by the Egyptian manufacturer MCV, which, as reported, also wants to gain a foothold in Germany with its own electric city bus.
The buses will be funded with 35.7 million pounds (40.5 million euros) from Greater Manchester’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) tender and with 12.5 million pounds (14.2 million euros) from Transport for Greater Manchester (TFGM) and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). Stagecoach itself is investing 37.2 million pounds and the total volume is 85.4 million pounds or the equivalent of 97 million euros.
“We’re excited to be announcing our largest electric vehicle order to date, which will be a major step forward in improving air quality across the region,” says Sam Greer, Engineering Director at Stagecoach. “This builds further on the investment being made by Stagecoach across the country to support the transition to a zero-emission bus fleet.”
Stagecoach currently operates a total of 8,300 buses, coaches and trams across England, Scotland and Wales. These now include various electric buses, including electric double-deckers.
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