Scottish electric coach operator Ember has announced plans for a UK-wide expansion following a successful Series A funding round of £11 million.
The operator also plans to double the 750,000 trips taken by its services so far by next year.
The round was led by Inven Capital, 2150, and AENU, with further contributions from existing investors, including Pale Blue Dot and Skyscanner co-founder Gareth Williams.
As well as expanding Ember‘s electric scheduled coach network, the fresh capital injection will be channelled into developing new renewable energy-powered transport hubs. A substantial portion of the funding will also enhance EmberOS, the company’s proprietary technology platform, designed for optimal charge management and network efficiency.
Ember‘s approach is not just about replacing diesel engines with electric; it’s about reimagining the entire network from the ground up. This includes building its own charging infrastructure, designing coach routes, and collaborating closely with manufacturers on vehicle development.
Following a recent upgrade, Ember‘s Dundee hub (pictured, left) now boasts 1200kW of charging capacity while using existing wind turbines on site to provide energy direct from turbine to substation. Ember is also currently the only confirmed order for the Yutong GTe14 battery-electric coach, which promises a range of up to 280 miles on a single charge.
Comments Daniel Edgerley, Investment Director at Inven Capital: “We have been impressed with both Keith and Pierce as founders and as visionaries of the future of shared transportation. Our commitment to the Company underscores our belief in their customer-centric and innovative approach to electrification and digitalisation across the business. Their decision to fundamentally link their smart infrastructure design, assets and technology platform enables unparalleled optimisation, as well as visibility and data-evidenced insights that gives clean transportation a clear advantage over incumbent solutions. We are excited to be a part of Ember’s mission of revolutionising transportation.”
Adds Rahul Parekh, Partner at 2150: “At 2150, we love founders that are solving some of the world’s biggest problems. Inter-city travel represents the majority of passenger miles and 90% of those journeys happen in the car so decarbonising this sector has huge sustainability impact. With Ember, Keith and Pierce have developed an innovative, full-stack, electrified bus fleet, using technology to provide superior customer service and fantastic operating margins compared to legacy solutions. We are delighted to be supporting them alongside our friends at Inven Capital and AENU in building the next generation of inter-city transport.”
