- Electric bus sales in the United Kingdom have reached new highs, with sales of fully-electric models up 35.5% in 2024 compared to 2023.
- 2025 is primed to set another record, with the first four months of the year seeing more transport operators order electric buses in large numbers.
- This article explores the varying levels of electric bus adoption across the UK.
Electric bus adoption in the UK: A strong picture
With 1,570 zero-emission buses entering UK service in 2024 (and the vast majority of those being fully-electric models rather than hydrogen), the UK already exists as Europe’s largest buyer of electric buses by volume.
There is currently no rigid date from which the sale of diesel-powered buses will be banned, or a ban on the operation of such buses, but that still hasn’t stopped operators from continuing to switch to fully-electric units — with the proposition of improved customer satisfaction, lower total costs of ownership, and cleaner air proving to be attractive enough in its own right.
Coventry: All-electric fleet by 2026
Coventry is perhaps the strongest example of working towards all-out electrification, with Coventry City Council setting a country-leading target of a fully-electric bus fleet by December 2025, helping to clean up local air. If Coventry is successful in achieving this goal, it’ll become the first city in the UK to operate a 100% electric bus fleet.
This effort has been assisted by several of the bus operators in the city, including National Express Coventry and Stagecoach Midlands — with over 200 electric buses now in operation.
London: The electrification capital
There are already at least 1,600 fully-electric buses roaming the capital, helping to clean up air. From the upgrading of grid connections to allow for new electric bus charging depots, to BYD’s major inroads into the bus industry with its new BD11, the future of electric buses looks bright in London.
Oxford: A leading example
Oxford, the home of sustainability events like the EV SUMMIT, has also seen an impressive rate of electric bus adoption. Most recently, local operator Stagecoach West added 55 more electric buses to its Oxford fleet, building on the 160-plus electric buses already operated in the city by various operators. Whilst the city hasn’t gone fully-electric just yet, some specific bus routes within the city have done so.
Aberdeen: A £12 million-plus investment
Scotland is also seeing electric bus adoption grow, which is particularly evident in the country’s third largest city, Aberdeen. Here, First Bus recently made a £12.7 million investment to add 36 buses to its electric fleet, which includes new and reconverted units. This forms part of First Bus’ wider UK strategy to operate a fully-electric nationwide fleet by 2035.
Brand new electric buses aren’t the only option
Bus operators don’t necessarily have to fork out for the cost of brand new fully-electric buses to achieve an all-electric fleet. Electric bus conversions, which take existing diesel bodies and retrofit fully-electric powertrains to them, are becoming an increasingly common option.
Wrightbus’ electric conversion subsidiary, NewPower, recently revealed performance data of the first 20 electric converted buses it has put into operation – and the impressive range and costs of ownership are apparent.
