New depot for EVs at Abellio London Bus
Abellio London Bus has revealed its new depot for West London in Hayes which replaces the North Hyde Gardens site. The Hayes depot goes into operation with full EV capacity and highlights Abellio London Bus’ investment in electric technology and infrastructure. In the past year, Abellio has introduced 41 electric buses across its London fleet, adding to 34 already in service. By the end of 2022, the business will have 125 full-electric buses in service.
Abellio’s first fully-owned bus depot in London, it is a purpose-built operating centre that houses up to 56 buses serving routes 278, 350, 482, U5, U7 and U9. The building features a living roof and nesting boxes alongside an energy efficiency rating of B. It also features a wall of historic significance that dates back to the Tudor period, which has been rebuilt using handmade Tudor bricks and a unique brick bond.
The Hayes depot will be the home for new ADL EV buses operating on route U5. The depot will support these new EV buses with a 300kW charger from Enel X Way, using ‘smart’ charging technology to maximise efficiency through charging at off-peak times and using faster chargers. Connection to the grid was supported by ESP Utilities Group, via an 11kV substation providing a 2,000kVA capacity for the bus depot.