First Bus EV depots

Project overview

In decarbonising its fleet, First Bus needs to upgrade the electricity capacity of its depots to facilitate new EV charging infrastructure.

As well as fully electrifying its commercial bus fleet, the bus operator is also striving to achieve net zero at its depots. This involves implementing measures such as installing solar PV panels on depot roofs to power heating and lighting.

We’re proud to be First Bus’ preferred independent distribution network operator for its depot electrification programme, adopting and operating the electricity infrastructure powering all its newly-electrified depots.

The challenge

First Bus operates 50 bus depots nationwide with around 4,800 buses in its fleet. In electrifying its huge fleet, First Bus needs to install new chargers at its existing depots, capable of meeting simultaneous demand.

Many of the depots are located in built-up areas with limited space within the depot for new charging equipment and electricity infrastructure.

In addition, the new equipment and infrastructure must be installed with as little interruption to day-to-day depot operations as possible, so there’s no impact on bus passenger journeys.

Our solution

We’re working with First Bus’ preferred ICP partners across their different regions, driving efficiencies by applying consistency to the infrastructure connection process. In ensuring consistency across the electrification programme, we’re helping to minimise disruption for both the depots and passengers.

We’re electrifying multiple depots across the UK, from Aberdeen to Newquay, across all incumbent DNO regions. While space is at a premium at all locations, each First Bus depot has a unique footprint and needs an individual approach when it comes to designing the EV charging infrastructure.

Our bespoke engineering solutions mean we’re able to best design our HV electricity infrastructure around the existing depot layout and optimise space on site for the EV chargers.

In electrifying the depots, we’ve worked with First Bus and their architects to enable the installation of new infrastructure while they continue to operate round-the-clock to serve bus passengers.

It’s not just during the design and installation of the new infrastructure that we consider minimising disruption to day-to-day depot operations. We’re operating and maintaining the new electricity infrastructure for the long term. Once the sites are electrified, it’s vital that First Bus can rely on us to safely and reliably power their EV chargers all day, every day.

We’re proud to be a long-term partner to First Bus, safely and reliably operating electricity infrastructure that the bus operator can rely on.

A word from our client

“Our partnership with mua, as our IDNO of choice, continues to go from strength to strength. We value their expertise within our decarbonisation programme. They ensure we design infrastructure that is capable and resilient enough to meet our demands and also collaborate with us to ensure we can minimise disruption to our daily operations. Post-commissioning we know mua will also reliably maintain and operate our network to ensure it delivers over the lifetime of the assets.”

Henry Ashman

Senior Project Manager, First Bus