First Bus completes UK’s largest rapid EV charging hub at Caledonia depot in Glasgow
Glasgow is now home to the UK’s largest electric vehicle rapid-charging centre as First Bus completed the transformation of its flagship Caledonia depot.
Caledonia depot, located in Glasgow’s southside, now has 160 rapid-charging points installed over the last nine months, supporting First Bus’s ambition to be emission-free by 2035.
The depot will not only support First Bus and its growing electric fleet in Glasgow, but will also help other organisations operating in the city to decarbonise their own fleets. With a first-of-its-kind innovation for the transport sector, First Bus is trialling the use of its charging infrastructure to third-party businesses during the day when its buses are out on service.
First Bus now plans to expand the depot further, in partnership with Ofgem and Scottish Power Energy Networks, with the construction of a new substation. This will supply enough power to host an additional 200 vehicles and charging points and will see Caledonia depot home to a total capacity of 350 charging points once built.
Scottish minister for transport Jenny Gilruth says: “I am delighted to visit the depot to see the scale of what the largest DC charging centre in UK is now, which has been made possible by £26.3million of Scottish Government investment. This really is a game changer in our progress towards decarbonising Scotland’s buses.
“Alongside free travel for under-22s and over half a billion pounds in long term funding for bus priority infrastructure, we’re putting buses at the heart of Scotland’s just transition to net-zero by helping people to choose to travel more sustainably.
“We can only achieve that transition by all pulling together. What’s been achieved at the Caledonia depot is a great example of partnership working with the bus, energy and finance sectors to make the best use of Scottish Government investment.”
Duncan Cameron, managing director, First Bus Scotland, adds: “We are thrilled to announce the completion of our Caledonia depot. It’s a landmark moment on our journey to an entirely zero emissions fleet and a vital step in decarbonising the local environment and improving air quality.”
First Glasgow’s Caledonia depot bus fleet will be 50 per cent electric by December 2022 when it takes delivery of a further 52 electric buses. Glasgow currently has 98 electric buses operating in the city.