First Bus and Heliox are set to develop five new electric bus charging depots across the UK, backed by an £89 million investment and government ZEBRA 2 funding support.

The new facilities will be constructed in Bristol, Weston-super-Mare, Minehead, Taunton, and Basildon, building upon the companies' existing network of nine operational electric bus charging depots throughout Scotland and England.

The expansion follows their previous collaboration in Glasgow, where they launched the UK's largest electric bus depot ahead of COP26 in 2021, capable of charging 178 vehicles simultaneously.

Stephen Wood, Heliox Country Manager UK & Ireland, said: "We are thrilled to continue our partnership with First Bus on their journey towards a zero-emission fleet.

"The huge £89m investment from First Bus and support from the ZEBRA 2 funding programme has enabled us to play a vital role in accelerating the transition to electric public transport, particularly in rural areas."

The initiative, supported by a £16 million ZEBRA 2 scheme grant, will introduce 178 new electric buses across four regions. First Bus's Decarbonisation Programme Director, Faizan Ahmad, highlighted the significance of the development and said: "These projects mark another significant milestone in our commitment to a zero-emission bus fleet across the UK. Our partnership with Heliox has enabled us to electrify our depots and introduce cutting-edge electric buses, delivering cleaner air and a better passenger experience."

The new facilities will feature innovative dual-purpose infrastructure, including remote-controlled overhead gantries for cable management, and will offer charging services to local businesses.

Upon completion, the partnership will operate 14 electric bus charging depots with a combined capacity to charge over 190 vehicles simultaneously.

First Bus expects to operate approximately 800 electric buses following the completion of these projects, advancing towards their target of a fully zero-emission fleet by 2035.