First Bus orders 36 new electric buses from Wrightbus

First Bus has ordered a fleet of 36 electric buses from Wrightbus for use in Aberdeen, Scotland. The new bus fleet is to launch in early 2025, and includes both electric double-decker buses as well as converted former combustion buses that have been refitted with electric drives.

first bus partners with robert gordon university
Image: First Group

The British transport company First Bus will be putting a total of 36 electric buses from Wrightbus on the roads of the Scottish city of Aberdeen from the beginning of 2025. These are 24 new electric double-decker buses and twelve former combustion buses that have been converted to electric drive.

First Bus made the announcement together with Robert Gordon University, as the university’s students will be the primary beneficiaries of the new buses, as the new vehicles will be deployed on routes 1 and 2, servicing the university area.

“We take great pride in our nature-positive campus and actively encourage sustainable travel to improve our efforts in meeting our collective net-zero targets. This includes not only encouraging the use of public transport for both commuting and business purposes but also encouraging the use of our own EV fleet where this is not possible,” said Bill Sommerville, Director of Estates and Property Services at Robert Gordon University.

Duncan Cameron, Managing Director at First Bus Scotland, commented on the investment: “This £12.7 million investment in new electric buses is a game-changer for Aberdeen. It not only aligns with our green ambitions but also underscores our commitment to providing more sustainable and comfortable transportation options for the city.”

First Bus also refers to the 2021 climate conference in Glasgow, COP26, since when the company has “made significant strides towards its goals, including the transformation of the Caledonia depot in Glasgow into the UK’s largest electric vehicle charging hub, capable of charging 150 electric buses simultaneously.”

The order for the retrofitted diesel buses was made in July of this year, with an order for 30 buses. Wrightbus is not the only company that First Bus is sourcing its vehicles from, however, as an order was placed with Yutong in July as well.

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