Tuesday 18 May 2021

‘UK set to have Europe’s largest electric bus fleet by 2024’

The UK is set to have the largest electric bus fleet in Europe by 2024, says independent advisory firm Accuracy.

It forecasts the number of buses on the country's roads will grow by close to 180%, rising from the current figure of approximately 1,000 to a total of 2,800 vehicles.

It highlights Poland currently has around 800 clean buses, giving it the second-largest fleet of zero emission buses in Europe, followed by the Netherlands and Italy which have the third and fourth largest zero emission fleets respectively, each possessing around 600 buses.

Across Europe, the number of electric buses is forecast to increase by 189% over the next three years with substantial growth expected in France and the Nordic countries.

Aurélie Quéromès said: "The pandemic has had a huge impact on public transport across the world, so it is more important now than ever that governments continue to commit funds to zero-emission infrastructure projects.

"Manufacturers of electric buses may need support in the short term to help restart the supply chain of zero-emission buses. Therefore, governments and private investors could aim to bridge the funding gap between operators and manufacturers to ensure they meet climate change targets in time."