Abellio London Bus, a segment of the UK Transport Group, recently received recognition at the 2023 Electric Vehicle Innovation and Excellence Awards (EVIEs) on November 21. The award in the category of ‘Fleet Electrification Strategy of the Year, over 100 vehicles,’ acknowledged Abellio’s achievements in the electric vehicle (EV) sector.
The EVIEs, known for setting industry standards in EV innovation and excellence, placed Abellio in competition with Westminster City Council and Dundee City Council. The award specifically recognized Abellio’s teams for expanding the EV fleet to over 100 vehicles from 2022 to 2023 and completing significant infrastructure projects. As of July 2023, Abellio had increased its EV fleet to over 157 vehicles, constituting 15% of the overall fleet.
The award application highlighted a project involving 30 Wrightbus Electroliners on Route 111 and the electrification of Abellioâs Twickenham depot. This project, supported by partners such as UK Power Networks and Enel X, showcased Abellio’s commitment to sustainable transportation. Partners like Siemens, Sinewave, and Zenobe were instrumental in expanding EV infrastructure at Abellioâs Walworth, Southall, and Battersea depots.
Abellio’s investments in fleet and infrastructure align with its vision to improve transportation in London and offer cleaner, safer zero-emission journeys. The rapid growth in fleet and infrastructure has been possible through collaborations with partners like UK Power Networks, TfL, Enel-X, local communities, and consumer groups.
In the future, Abellio aims to continue its strategy, planning to operate 30% of its fleet as fully electric vehicles by 2024. This sustained growth, along with ongoing infrastructure investments, positions Abellio as a leader in electrifying all of its London depots. A recent investment with Wrightbus will see an additional 80 EV buses serving customers in London.
Jon Eardley, Managing Director of Abellio London, expressed pride in the team’s accomplishments, stating, “Here at Abellio London and across the entire Transport UK Group, weâre dedicated to shaping the future of public transport, and winning this award is a testament to that. It is the culmination of five years of hard work from our highly skilled team and technical partners in the relentless pursuit of excellence in energizing our sites and decarbonizing our fleet. Weâre building a brighter, better future and doing our part to make Transport for London a strong, green heartbeat for London.”
