Scotland announces grant for electric buses

Scotland is to receive 252 new zero-emission buses and coaches with funding from the government. A £41.7 million grant will support eight operators, led by Zenobē, to provide the buses along with a nationwide charging network.

The electric buses are not the only part of the acquisition plans, as the £41.7 million grant funding will support eight operators, led by electric vehicle fleet specialist Zenobē, to deliver the buses along with a Scotland-wide charging network. The eight operators include Ember, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Premier Coaches, McGills Buses, Stagecoach, Hairy Haggis Tours, Maynes Coaches, and D&E Coaches

This marks the second and final round of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB 2), which is to bring together businesses from across the bus, energy and financial sectors, and builds upon £113 million previously invested by the Scottish government in electric buses and supporting infrastructure. ScotZEB initially kicked off in 2021 and has supported multiple bus operators, such as Stagecoach, with the electrification of their fleets and infrastructure.

“This investment will deliver 100 new inter-city bus routes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 600,000 tonnes over the lifetime of the fleet by encouraging more people to swap the car for efficient public transport, which is crucial to reaching net zero by 2045,” said First Minister John Swinney, adding: “Every £1 from the Scottish Government will leverage £3.20 of private sector investment – demonstrating that our shared decarbonisation goals can be met by working together when it comes to removing carbon emissions from our bus and coach fleets.”

Chris Ashley, policy lead for the Road Haulage Association, added: “Moving away from fossil fuels requires a change of mindset on how everyone operates. The access to charging infrastructure via ScotZEB 2 is a welcome initiative to help commercial vehicle operators plan the introduction of zero emission vehicles into their fleets.”

Over the past two months, Scotland has seen steady investment in infrastructure projects, including over £7 million across several city councils to build up public charging infrastructure in July, as well as 10 million pounds from the Scottish National Investment Bank going to charge point operator FOR EV. The BT Group has also been constructing kerbside charging stations in Scotland this year.

gov.scot