VEV Flips the Switch for Shuttle Buses’ Electric Fleet

  • VEV has installed electric bus chargers along with the VEV-IQ smart charging platform and enabled renewable energy supply to the Shuttle Bus depot at competitive rates.
  • The next stage is in planning – solar generation and battery storage projected to produce 148,000 kWh annually – enough to power 2 buses.
  • The initiative is expected to reduce Shuttle Buses’ carbon emissions by 34,000 kg annually, supporting its sustainability commitment.
  • VEV was selected for its integrated solution to electrify the bus fleet and the team’s understanding of Shuttle Buses’ environmental and business goals
  • Shuttle Buses aims to open its charging network to other fleets, aided by VEV’s technology platform.

London, UK (March 6th, 2023) – VEV, the e-fleet solutions provider backed by Vitol a world leader in energy, today announced a collaboration with Shuttle Buses, one of the largest bus operators in Ayrshire, Scotland, to electrify its fleet.

Shuttle Buses have 50 buses operating commercial services plus services through Strathclyde’s Partnership for Transport. This includes MyBus for elderly and disabled people and those without a local bus service.

Shuttle Buses is committed to reducing its carbon emissions and this initiative is predicted to reduce carbon emissions by 34,000 kg per year.

VEV has already installed charging infrastructure at Shuttle Buses’ depot and implemented its smart charging platform, VEV-IQ. This will enable Shuttle Buses to power the electric vehicles (EVs) with 100% renewable energy through VEV’s energy supply partner. This phase will also be supported by a comprehensive maintenance package to ensure reliable operations.

In planning now is the solar project comprising power generation and battery storage to reduce demand from the grid supply and generate 148,000 kWh annually – enough to power two buses. This will be subject to planning permission and surveys.

Shuttle Buses employs 70 people and as an employee-owned company since 2022, the business prides itself on a progressive, forward-thinking culture.

VEV CEO Mike Nakrani said:

“We are thrilled to collaborate with forward-thinking companies like Shuttle Buses to support their transition to a fully electric fleet. This project highlights the value in an integrated e-fleet solution, from charging infrastructure to renewable energy and intelligent management software. We are committed to helping fleets make the transition to electric smooth, smart and sustainable and look forward to supporting Shuttle Buses’ decarbonisation goals further with solar power generation and battery storage.”

Ross Granger, Managing Director of Shuttle Buses said:

“VEV understood our environmental and business goals and offered a turnkey solution to support the electrification of our bus fleet. We’re looking at potentially opening-up our charging infrastructure to other fleets and the VEV-IQ platform will be critical to this.”

For media inquiries or further information, please contact Media@vev.com. VEV’s media kit is available here.

About VEV

VEV helps organisations deliver on their carbon reduction ambitions with an end-to-end fleet electrification solution that integrates across vehicles, charging infrastructure and power.  VEV is owned by Vitol, a world leader in energy, which to date has committed circa $2 billion to sustainable energy initiatives worldwide.

VEV navigates the complexities of EV transformation to design and implement cost-effective EV fleets optimised for specific fleet requirements.  We support EV fleet operations to guarantee resilience and keep mission-critical fleets running at scale. Bespoke, scalable business solutions are designed around the client’s own fleet data analysed by a powerful assessment tool and our experts in energy and sustainable e-mobility.  VEV sets businesses up for success in an electrified future.

VEV’s fleet management platform includes fleet assessment tools to analyse a fleet’s electrification readiness and dashboards to manage real-time EV fleet operations.  Video walkthough of VEV-IQ

More information at VEV.com

About Shuttle Buses

Shuttle Buses is one of the largest employers in the local area with over 100 employees. Established in 1990 with the aim of providing reliable, high-quality bus and coach services throughout Ayrshire, the company has since grown its fleet to over 50 buses. As an employee-owned company since August 2022, Shuttle Buses operates many local services in Ayrshire, some commercially and some subsidised by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport. They also operate nine MyBus services for elderly, disabled, and rural residents across North, South and East Ayrshire. Additionally, their subsidiary Shuttle Coaches offers private coach hire with 16 to 70 seat vehicles. With a fleet of quality British-built and Volvo/Mercedes coaches, and an in-house workshop for maintenance, Shuttle Buses prides itself on providing safe, reliable transportation.

More information on ShuttleBuses.co.uk