The borough of Reading in the United Kingdom is set to expand its electric bus fleet with the addition of eight new Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV double-decker buses, scheduled for delivery in 2026. The vehicles will be operated by Reading Buses and mark a further step in the town’s transition to zero-emission public transport.
The new buses bring Reading Buses’ total fleet of Enviro400EVs to 32, following a prior order of 24. The latest procurement was made possible through additional government funding awarded after a joint bid by Reading Borough Council and Reading Buses. The new fleet will enable the full electrification of Reading’s yellow 26 route.
“We were delighted to gain the opportunity to extend our plans for Zero Emission Buses in the Reading Area, and look forward to the improvement in customer experience the new buses are expected to deliver,” said Robert Williams, CEO of Reading Buses. He added that the buses will be built to a high specification, including café-style flooring, high-back seats with USB charging, social seating, a glazed staircase, rooflights, mood lighting, and two wheelchair bays.
The Enviro400EVs will be powered by the Voith Electrical Drive System and feature 472kWh batteries integrated with a heating and cooling system developed by UK-based Grayson Thermal Solutions. The eight new buses will complement the earlier batch of 24 Enviro400EVs, funded through the Zero-Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA 2) scheme and scheduled to be deployed from August on Reading’s purple 17 and claret 21 routes.
Reading’s latest acquisition is supported by £1.35 million in government funding, forming part of a broader national allocation of £37.8 million under the ZEBRA programme, aimed at accelerating the rollout of zero-emission buses across the UK.