Stagecoach West Scotland unveiled its fleet of 12 world-first, electric midibuses today (21 October) which will add to the all-electric Ayrshire bus routes this autumn. The £5million investment sees the introduction of a dozen electric midibuses (Enviro100EV) for East, South and North Ayrshire, boosting the total Stagecoach electric bus fleet across Ayrshire to 60 vehicles.
The midibuses, built in Scotland by Alexander Dennis, are the first of this vehicle type to be used anywhere in the world. Local communities will benefit from these smaller EV buses which are not only emission free but are nimble enough to travel through areas that larger buses are not able to service.
The Enviro100EV is an innovative design which has been crafted in collaboration by Stagecoach with Alexander Dennis Limited and fills a crucial niche for shorter wheelbase EV buses on routes that cannot be easily served with larger buses to further enhance connectivity within Ayrshire communities. The midibuses will operate on a single daily charge with no engine noise or emissions and offer customers onboard USB charging points and contactless payment.
At the launch in Stagecoach’s Ayr depot, guests, including Siobhian Brown MSP for Ayr and Minister for Victims and Community Safety and Elena Whitham MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, were able to get a first glance at the new midibuses. This £5million investment is in addition to the major investment of £15.7million in 2023 which launched 27 single-deck buses into the area.
Commenting on the launch, Stagecoach West Scotland Managing Director Fiona Doherty said:
“Today’s launch demonstrates that we are delivering on our commitment to decarbonise our fleet across Ayrshire. These 12 new EV midibuses are an important addition to our service and they will serve communities in Ayr, Irvine and Kilmarnock in particular with zero-emission transport. This £5million investment comes on top of the £15.7million invested in the transition to electric in 2023 making bus travel in Ayrshire one of the greenest forms of transport available.”
Alexander Dennis President & Managing Director, Paul Davies, said:
"This is a really proud moment for the team at Alexander Dennis as the very first Enviro100EV is officially launched in partnership with Stagecoach here in West Scotland, supporting routes across East, South and North Ayrshire. The Enviro100EV is our brand-new battery-electric small bus that has been engineered to feel just like a big bus.
“We've packed a significant amount of power into our 'big small bus' making it the best-in-class by some distance, with its 354kWh of battery capacity and up to 285 miles of range, alongside its future-proof battery system and the next generation of aftermarket support from AD24. We know this fleet of small buses will enjoy a long, productive working life supporting Stagecoach West Scotland with their targets for a zero-emission bus fleet by 2035.”
The bus operator has also invested in installing 21 new charging stations during recent upgrades to their Kilmarnock and Ayr depots.