An industry-leading partnership between Zeelo and Zenobē to drive the electrification of private bus transport in the UK has just been announced. As part of the agreement, Zeelo’s network of 200 bus and coach operators will be able to trial electric vehicles, including temporary charging infrastructure provided by Zenobē.

Zenobē, the international EV fleet and battery storage specialist, will supply the trial fleets and the charging infrastructure, enabling the first co-branded electric buses and coaches to get on the road for work and school commutes. The two companies will also work together to identify opportunities for large-scale fleet electrification, allowing operators in Zeelo’s network to reach net-zero in line with the UK’s legally binding 2050 targets.

“Zeelo and Zenobē share a vision to drive the nation to cleaner transport and Zenobē is the ideal partner with its strong track record of electrifying depots for bus and coach operators,” said Sam Ryan, CEO of Zeelo. “Zeelo has an ambitious vision not only to up-switch over 8 million Zeelo journeys per year to electric buses within the next 3-5 years, but also to support over 200 family-run bus and coach operators to be able to afford to invest in electric fleets.”

“Transport is an essential public service alongside education and health and there is enormous scope to set an industry precedent for collaboration. Through our partnership with Zenobē we can help kick-start a national transition out of a reliance on diesel amid the fuel crisis. That doesn’t just mean cutting people a deal, but actually ensuring that electric buses feel comfortable and safe to drive and easy to charge,” Sam Ryan concluded.

The new partnership has already supported operator Airsym to launch new electric services, including the provision of an electric bus service for students at Dwight School London, and an electric coach that will operate at London Heathrow airport and as a shuttle service for staff at McLaren Automotive.

By working with Zeelo and Zenobē, operators can make electrification happen in an environmentally and financially sustainable way. Bus and coach operators that wish to switch to electric fleets face challenges including the high upfront costs of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, therefore, Zeelo and Zenobē aim to make clean transport an accessible option for Zeelo’s network of operators and its customers, by giving them the opportunity to test the technology.