Stagecoach West Scotland unveiled its fleet of 27 fully electric buses at a launch event at Burns Cottage.
The investment of £15.7m will see 25 Volvo BZL single-deck buses, the first to operate in the UK, added to the West Scotland electric fleet. In addition, two Alexander Dennis BYD single-deck buses will be introduced, taking the total ADL fleet to 17.
Stagecoach West Scotland managing director Fiona Doherty said: “This is an exciting day for Stagecoach as we launch our new fleet of electric buses, which will serve communities in Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine with zero-emission public transport.”
The investment was supported by the Scottish Government’s Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund.
Minister for Transport Jenny Gilruth said: “I’m pleased that the Scottish Government has been able to support the ambitions of Stagecoach West Scotland, as part of our Mission Zero for Transport, by providing £8m through our Scottish Zero Emission Bus Scheme.
“This is in addition to a further 25 electric buses introduced by Stagecoach for Inverness, supported with £5.8m in funding support from government.”
The launch is part of Stagecoach’s drive to target a net zero UK bus fleet by 2035.
The bus operator has invested in installing 21 new charging stations during recent upgrades to the Kilmarnock and Ayr depots.
Set to hit the roads of Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine in March, the buses will operate from morning to night on a single daily charge and include USB charging points and contactless onboard payment.
The new buses should reduce Stagecoach’s net carbon impact by 1,433 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, compared to like-for-like diesels.
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