Stagecoach has confirmed a further 158 orders of single-deck electric vehicles from Pelican Bus and Coach, making it what the dealer says is the largest operator of Yutong electric vehicles in the UK, with over 200 orders.
The order follows 23 single deck buses delivered to Sheffield and “will cover the length and breadth of England”. Deliveries are expected in Chesterfield, Slatyford, Rugby, Leamington, Nuneaton, Stockton, Preston and Sunderland, starting from July 2024. All will be delivered before Q3 2025. Pelican notes that the orders have been placed in the past few weeks, demonstrating the speed with which Stagecoach and Pelican have deployed zero-emission vehicles.
The buses will be jointly funded by Stagecoach, as well as local and national government through the Levelling Up Fund in Sunderland, the £140 million project to create the UK’s first all-electric bus city in Coventry, and ZEBRA 2.
“We are absolutely delighted to receive these order awards from Stagecoach,” comments Ian Downie, Head of Yutong UK at Pelican. “Our vehicles have been successfully launched in Warwick, Inverness and now Sheffield and the feedback has been superb.
“The vehicles have state-of-the-art air conditioning and customer-centric features, and coupled with the reliability and performance of the tried, tested and proven Yutong product, will continue to support the Stagecoach operation. We have forged an excellent partnership with Stagecoach, and the total orders of an additional 158 vehicles is testament to this relationship. The vehicles are completed in our dealership at Castleford, and Pelican will support them throughout their service life.”
Adds Tony Cockcroft, Stagecoach Asset Management and Infrastructure Director: “Being the largest operator of Yutong electric vehicles in the UK affirms Stagecoach’s commitment to connecting communities across the UK sustainably and efficiently. Introducing these new electric vehicles brings us a step closer to realising our goal of being fully net zero and become more energy efficient.”
