- UK bus operator Stagecoach has electrified its Chesterfield bus depot, helping support the delivery of 57 fully-electric buses in the region this spring.
- The site is the first of four depots set to be electrified by electric fleet specialists VEV, with the four sites combined helping support a total of 150 fully-electric buses across Chesterfield, Leamington, Nuneaton, and Rugby.
- The project has been jointly-funded by both Stagecoach, Derbyshire County Council, and through England’s zero-emission bus funding scheme (ZEBRA 2).
Cleaner buses for Derbyshire
The work undertaken at Stagecoach’s Chesterfield depot by VEV include a 2.5MVA transformer, allowing for a significant amount of power to be drawn from the grid to support the 27 dual 120kW chargers, which can charge up to 54 electric buses simultaneously. Work is also ongoing on a solar panel array at the site, projected to produce approximately 200MWh worth of energy per year and save 48 tonnes of carbon in the process.
These changes will help support the arrival of 57 electric buses to Stagecoach’s Chesterfield and North-East Derbyshire fleet, with the new units helping to replace a significant two thirds of existing diesel stock. The move also comes as zero-emission buses across the UK continue to skyrocket, with sales up 35.5%, year-on-year.
Mike Nakrani, CEO of VEV, commented:
“The completion of the Chesterfield depot is the first deliverable in our relationship with Stagecoach to support both their strategic and operational goals on fleet electrification. This isn’t just about installing chargers – it’s about providing a complete solution that encompasses fleet analysis, infrastructure, power optimisation, staff training, and ongoing operational support to ensure a successful transition of the bus network to electric vehicles.
Our VEV-IQ platform is the glue that holds this solution together, enabling Stagecoach to optimise their power consumption, reduce costs. There are very few solutions on the market that can deliver this level of sophisticated power management and operational insight.”
Tony Cockcroft, Asset Management Director at Stagecoach, added:
“Our Chesterfield EV depot marks a significant step forward in our electrification journey. VEV’s support has been crucial in ensuring a smooth transition to electric operations. The sophisticated VEV-IQ platform provides us with the insights and control we need to optimise our fleet operations, make informed decisions about our business & enable additional revenue generation. We look forward to replicating this success with VEV at our other Leamington, Nuneaton, and Rugby sites.”
