- Essex Police has partnered up with First Bus’ shared EV charging initiative, First Charge, allowing its growing fleet of electric police vehicles to be charged at the First Bus depot in Basildon.
- This year, Essex Police expects the number of electric vehicles within its fleet to rise to 50.
- With the high initial cost of installing charging infrastructure, the opportunity for fleets such as Essex Police to share existing EV charging infrastructure represents an opportunity for an easier and more affordable transition to electric vehicles.
Essex Police speeds up its EV rollout with shared EV charging opportunity
Essex Police has teamed up with First Charge, the shared charging arm of UK transport operator, First Bus. Some of First Bus’ bus depots across the UK have already been opened up to the public during downtime through this initiative, and this new partnership will grant Essex Police access to First Bus’ high-power charging infrastructure at its Basildon depot. The move will also help the force reduce its reliance on other public charging infrastructure.
The force initially began electrifying its fleet in 2022, and the number of EVs within its fleet is set to reach 50 in 2026. Longer term, the force plans to electrify its entire fleet of just under 800 vehicles, with this First Charge partnership helping Essex Police to expand its electric fleet further, ahead of the 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars and vans.
Jason Tyrrell, Acting Head of Fleet at Essex Police, commented:
“We are committed to reducing the environmental impact of our fleet while continuing to catch criminals and keep people safe across Essex.
Moving to electric vehicles is a key part of that journey, but access to suitable charging infrastructure is essential. Working with First Bus through First Charge allows us to support the expansion of our electric fleet using existing, high-power infrastructure, while maintaining the operational resilience our service requires.”
Andy Gwilliam, Head of Product at First Charge, added:
“We’re pleased to welcome Essex Police as a First Charge customer at our Basildon depot. Using First Charge can be significantly more cost-effective than relying solely on public charging, particularly for fleets that need regular, high-power charging. It also helps free up public charge points for members of the public, reducing pressure on local charging infrastructure while ensuring critical public services have the access they need.
First Charge is about making better use of existing electric charging infrastructure to support organisations as they transition their fleets to zero-emission vehicles. With a growing network of electric depots across the UK, we’re able to provide access to high-power charging in locations where public provision is limited.”
