Centrica to share EV charging facilities at First Bus depots

First Bus will allow Centrica to charge its electric vehicles (EVs) using its rapid charging infrastructure at bus depots nationwide.

The new deal sees Centrica join the ranks of Openreach, DPD and Police Scotland, plugging into this shared infrastructure initiative from First Bus.

Rob Simister, director of fleet operations at Centrica, said: “As we continue to electrify our fleet, we’re always looking for innovative ways to address some of the operational challenges that comes with such a large transition. 

“This partnership with First Bus will mean we’re more effective at getting to our customers, while speeding up the rollout of our electric vehicles. That’s good news for the country, our colleagues, and our customers.” 

The initial phase of the partnership will enable Centrica to charge a selection of its EV fleet at First Bus’ Leicester depot while buses are out on the road in service, with the potential to extend to further depots across the bus operator’s UK infrastructure in the future.

The partnership officially launched at First Bus’ Leicester depot with a visit from Department for Transport (DfT) minister, Lilian Greenwood, who joined representatives from First Bus and Centrica to highlight the critical role the electric vehicle infrastructure will play in reducing emissions and promoting sustainable transport.

Greenwood said: “It’s fantastic to see this partnership between First Bus and Centrica to help engineers in making the switch to electric.

“This Government is supporting more and more people to make the move to zero emission vehicles. 

“Whether charging at home, in public, or in depots like this – we’re dedicated to making charging as easy as possible, with £200m announced in the Budget to further boost infrastructure across the country.”

Faizan Ahmad, decarbonisation programme director at First Bus, says that the deal shows the power of teamwork to reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality. 

“The shift to electric is a journey for businesses nationwide, and we are offering a smart, community-friendly solution that's simple, effective and benefits everyone,” he added.

Centrica currently has more than 3,000 electric vehicles in its fleet but its aiming to convert all its diesel vehicles to zero-emissions by 2030.

Last year, the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) commissioned research that showed almost six out of 10 van fleets (58%) would consider sharing their depot or public charging infrastructure with others to make electrification more practical.