Next Stop, ZEVs?

The British Government is investing £198 million in funding zero-emission buses as it announces plans to ban the sale of ICE alternatives. The Government is aiming to end the sale of ICE buses by 2032 at the latest, as a step towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The move runs parallel to the Government's commitment to transition away from new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, and for all new cars on the roads to be zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2035.

Currently, only 2% of the UK’s almost 40,000 buses are zero emission vehicles. Whilst that number is slowly increasing, the Government is keen to ensure the transition to zero emissions is made as soon as possible. The recent surge in the cost of diesel and petrol mean zero emission vehicles are becoming increasingly attractive for operators, as the money saved on energy costs in the long-term begin to outweigh the downside of high up-front costs.

An open Government consultation to end the sale of all combustion-engine buses and minibuses between 2025 and 2030 ended on May 21st this year. The consultation, the second on the issue, was a required step prior to the Government legislating to ban the sale of ICE buses. Buses and coaches currently account for 3% of the UK’s transport emissions, and the results of the consultation will help define what types of buses, coaches, and minibuses will be included in the Government’s plan.

The Government has invested £200 million to fund zero emissions buses via the Zero Emission Buses Regional Area (ZEBRA) scheme. The scheme provides funding for electric and hydrogen buses in 12 separate regions in the UK. The Government estimates this investment will fund over 900 new zero emission buses and, according to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, “remove over 57,000 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide per year from the country’s air”.

As the transition to non-emission buses begins to take shape across the UK, one British city is already well ahead of the rest of the country. Coventry is on track to become Britain’s first city with a wholly electric bus fleet, with National Express Coventry having placed an order for 140 electric buses in January of this year. The order was made as part of a £140 million project to turn Coventry into the UK’s leading hub for electric public transport, which was recently boosted by £50 million in funding granted to Transport for the West Midlands by the Department of Transport. This funding will assist the city in achieving its goal of having an entirely electric fleet of 300 buses by 2025. The 140 buses ordered in January will enter active service early next year and will complement the 10 electric buses currently in Coventry’s bus fleet.

Electric buses similar to the models recently ordered for Coventry’s bus fleet.

Coventry is a real-life example of the fully electric future of the UK’s roads. Other cities and regions around the UK would do well to follow their example, and replicate Coventry’s creative and forward thinking.

However, there is not one “correct”, uniform path toward the electrification of public transport; multiple possibilities exist. Another possibility requires looking to the past for inspiration. Trolley buses were widely used from the early 1930’s to the mid-1960’s. A trolley bus, or trackless tram, is a type of electric bus that connects to suspended overhead wires via spring loaded trolley poles located on its roof. This creates an electrical circuit, from which the bus draws power. Previously available in both single deck and double deck models, the buses used to be a common sight across the cities of the UK. Trolleybuses are still in use in various municipalities in Europe and North America, and, as the UK progresses toward its fully electric future, may prove a viable alternative to battery powered buses.

A classic style trolley bus in use. The design is still popular in much of Europe and North America.

As Britain progresses its transition to full electrification, our cities will change for the better. Now is the time for inspired and imaginative solutions, to create a greener and cleaner future for all.