UK bus operator First Bus has unveiled First Charge, a new initiative to open its electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to commercial fleet operators and the general public. The programme will initially include 15 depots across Scotland and England, starting with a public launch at its Caledonia depot in Glasgow.
The Caledonia site now serves as an ultra-rapid charging hub capable of accommodating up to 34 vehicles at a time. Public access is available between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at an introductory rate of £0.39 per kWh. This marks the first time First Bus has allowed general public use of its depot-based charging network.
“With First Charge, we’re building on our position as an industry leader, sharing our infrastructure to accelerate decarbonisation to help other users move faster too,” said Isabel McAllister, First Bus UK’s Chief Sustainability and Compliance Officer. “We’re progressing rapidly towards our goal of a zero-emission fleet by 2035, with an investment of over £320 million to date.”
The initiative builds on a previous partnership with commercial charging service Paua, which launched ‘Paua Share’ in May. That scheme opened selected First Bus depots to third-party commercial fleets.
The Scottish Government previously invested over £6.4 million in the Caledonia depot’s charging infrastructure. Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, commented, “When the Scottish Government invested… it was always the intention that First Bus thought innovatively and collaboratively about how it might be used. By providing more public EV charging, we’re now seeing that ambition realised.”
First Bus said the First Charge model will be gradually expanded to other locations in support of wider electrification and sustainability goals in UK transport.