There’s going to have to be a lot of heavy-duty electric vehicle charging infrastructure installed in or very near bus and truck depots in coming years as more and more heavy vehicles switch to battery power.
For some British bus operators that changeover is opening up a bit of a business opportunity,
First Bus has opened the UK’s first bus depot to offer consumer electric vehicle charging to the public.
The facility, the first-of-its-kind for the bus industry in the UK, provides direct access for the public to rapid electric charging infrastructure for electric vans and cars.
The ‘turn up and charge’ hub offers eight rapid chargers, payment via contactless credit card, with no app or signup required, at 69p/kWh, as well as rapid charging rates of up to 150kW.
The 12-month project saw a £1m investment from First Bus to provide the local area with key electric charging infrastructure, creating a charging site for the community to use for years to come.
Simon Goff, First Bus South’s Managing Director, said: “Opening the Summercourt hub is a hugely exciting step forward in our decarbonization journey.
“For local people, visitors and business, the new hub ensures EV drivers can charge their vehicles on a reliable connection at a fair price.”
That sounds like a great add-on for bus and truck businesses to potentially more quickly recoup their investment in charging infrastructure.
