Xplore Dundee receives twelve new electric buses

The Scottish public transport operator Xplore Dundee has received 12 new fully electric double-decker buses. These come from Chinese manufacturer Yutong. They will hit the road in the coming months.

The new double-deckers are Yutong U11DD vehicles. They each have room for up to 84 passengers and are equipped with a 422 kWh battery. The press release does not mention the bus’ range.

According to the brochure on the Yutong website, the 11-metre bus can either be ordered with a 22 kW or 350 kW motor. It has a dual DC charging socket and uses CCS.

Xplore Dundee is owned by the McGill’s Group. The latter invested £8.4 million in the vehicles and corresponding infrastructure at Xplore Dundee’s East Dock Street depot. The Scottish government invested £2.7 through the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB).

According to the press release, McGill’s has invested £68 million in electric vehicle technology since 2021, with £25 million invested by ScotZEB. The Group now has 121 electric buses, with another 30 to be delivered this summer. The first electric buses, namely twelve battery-electric double-deckers by Alexander Dennis Limited and BYD, were delivered to the city in December 2021.

The charging infrastructure at the East Dock Street depot is supplied by Zenobe. In 2024, the latter led a £41.7 million funding round for more than 252 electric buses to be procured by eight operations in Scottland.

“We are thrilled to be bringing these state-of-the-art buses to passengers in Dundee, and we’re certain they will enjoy travelling on them in the months and years ahead,” said Tony Williamson, Chief Executive of McGill’s Group. “With this latest rollout, McGill’s now operates one of the largest electric bus fleets in the UK. We are proud to lead the way in the transition to greener public transport and to provide a cleaner, more comfortable travel experience for our passengers.”

xploredundee.com