Stagecoach Group has announced a £29.3 million investment to deploy 110 electric buses across Devon in south-west England, as part of efforts to modernize public transport and reduce emissions in the region.
The rollout will cover depots in Torbay, Barnstaple and Exeter and includes the installation of new charging infrastructure. The project is being delivered in partnership with Devon County Council and Torbay Council, with financial support from the UK government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme.
Exeter will receive 30 electric buses, while Barnstaple in North Devon will host 21 vehicles at its depot, positioning the town as a regional hub for the new technology. The remaining 59 buses will operate in Torbay. The deployment will replace older diesel vehicles as part of Stagecoach’s broader decarbonisation strategy.
To support depot electrification, Stagecoach has appointed e-fleet solutions provider VEV to design and install high-powered charging systems. At the Barnstaple depot, 11 dedicated chargers are being installed. The charging network will be managed through a digital platform that monitors electricity demand in real time and helps optimize vehicle availability.
The introduction of electric buses follows operational challenges reported earlier in the region, where some vehicles were found to be too large for narrow streets. In areas of Torbay such as Park Road and Hartop Road, limited road width and on-street parking have constrained maneuverability, prompting consideration of alternative stops to maintain safe operations.
