E-fleet solutions provider VEV has completed work on a new electric bus hub for Stagecoach as part of a major electrification scheme.
The new depot, located in Chesterfield, is the first of four that will be developed as a collaboration between VEV and the UK’s largest bus and coach operator, with further installations planned for Leamington, Nuneaton, and Rugby.
The depot will support 57 electric buses, which will be rolled out from spring 2025, replacing more than two-thirds of Stagecoach’s diesel bus fleet in Chesterfield and northeastern Derbyshire. The new electric buses will be supported onsite by 27 dual DC 120kW chargers manufactured by Eko Energetyka. Additionally, a 234kWp solar installation is currently under construction on site, with rooftop solar panels at the depot expected to generate around 200MWh of power each year.
Mike Nakrani, CEO of VEV said: “The completion of the Chesterfield depot is the first deliverable in our relationship with Stagecoach to support both their strategic and operational goals on fleet electrification. This isn’t just about installing chargers – it’s about providing a complete solution that encompasses fleet analysis, infrastructure, power optimisation, staff training, and ongoing operational support to ensure a successful transition of the bus network to electric vehicles.”
The announcement follows news from November last year that Stagecoach had joined forces with Schneider Electric to help support Stagecoach’s mission to electrify its fleet. Schneider Electric will provide its EcoStruxure for eMobility solution to several of Stagecoach’s depots across the UK alongside ultra-rapid EV chargepoints, substations, a data analytics and software package and ongoing support and monitoring.
Bus fleets and the EV revolution
With their uniform depot-based route plans, public buses are one of the best candidates for transitioning to zero-carbon vehicles, and a number of the UK’s major bus providers have taken note.
Last month, Volvo Buses announced that it had received its first order from London bus operator Go-Ahead, and will supply the operator with 25 single-deck electric buses. Meanwhile, in the south-west of England, First Bus announced last October that it would collaborate with EV charging system provider Heliox to deliver seeing five new electric bus depots developed, enabling 189 new electric buses to take to the road across the UK.
