Stagecoach East commits to ultra low emission vehicles after using electric buses for two years in Cambridge

Cambridge’s first electric buses have now been operating on the city’s roads for two years.

Stagecoach East and the Greater Cambridge Partnership introduced them to minimise CO2 emissions and improve air quality in the city.

And they say that since their introduction in 2020, the two zero-emission vehicles have collectively travelled a total of 106,321 miles and saved 74 tonnes of C02.

The fully-electric vehicles use state-of-the-art regenerative braking to recharge every time the bus slows down and a triple battery design which provides power for approximately 160 miles.

They each consume around 2kWhr of electricity per mile, which is comparable to leaving your oven on for an hour. Charging, which takes eight hours, takes place overnight to provide an efficient service during daytime operational hours.

As well as producing zero carbon emissions, the manufacturing process emits 75 per cent less CO2 than that of a Euro 6 Diesel.

Darren Roe, managing director at Stagecoach East, said: “The climate crisis is an imminent threat so we are taking proactive measures to innovate and invest in the best methods to improve the impact of transportation on the environment.

“The electric buses in Cambridge have proved to be hugely successful over the past two years and we are now looking at the best options for the next steps. Over a third of our fleet now use greener engines and we are committed to buying only ULEB (ultra low emission buses) which have 30 per cent less wheel-to-wheel CO2 than the standard Euro 6 bus.

“Bus travel reduces congestion and is more eco-friendly than car travel, but we’re committed to taking this further and prioritising the planet.”

Cllr Elisa Meschini, chair of the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s executive board, said: “I am delighted to see how well the electric buses have been received by residents, and how they’ve helped to slash emissions and cut pollution on our city’s roads.

“The GCP is currently developing bold plans to truly transform the bus network that would make buses an even more attractive and green travel choice to keep people moving while cutting congestion and improving air quality at a time when actions to reduce our collective effect on the climate are at the forefront of people’s minds.”

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