British public transport giant Stagecoach has announced a substantial new order of 158 electric buses from Chinese manufacturer Yutong, marking its second major procurement within a week.
The order, slated for delivery between July 2024 and the third quarter of 2025, includes solo electric buses destined for multiple UK cities such as Chesterfield, Slatyford, Rugby, Leamington, Nuneaton, Stockton, Preston, and Sunderland. The acquisition is bolstered by governmental support, including grants from the UK government’s ZEBRA 2 funding initiative.
See also: Alexander Dennis Secures Major Contract to Supply 244 Electric Buses to Stagecoach in UK
Earlier this week, Stagecoach also finalized an order of 244 electric buses from Alexander Dennis, the largest such order for the manufacturer to date. Deliveries for these buses are scheduled for 2025 and 2026, also supported by ZEBRA 2 funding.
In a broader governmental effort, the UK has allocated £143 million to facilitate the procurement of 955 new zero-emission buses across 25 English municipalities.
The initiative, which subsidizes up to 75% of additional costs for zero-emission buses compared to conventional diesel counterparts, underscores the country’s commitment to cleaner public transportation solutions.
The procurement programme mandates that all buses ordered by January 31, 2025, meet emission-free standards, whether through battery-electric or fuel cell technologies.
