Reading Buses has received a further eight Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV battery-electric double-decks, taking its fleet of the type to 32.
They are set to enter service on 1 June and follow an earlier batch of 24 that hit the road with the municipal operator in the opening quarter of 2026. Of the latest vehicles, seven are in a yellow livery for route 26, with the eighth in a generic silver scheme as a spare vehicle.
All 32 Enviro400EV buses have been part-funded by a successful bid by Reading Borough Council to the second round of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme. £4.7 million of grant money was initially forthcoming for the first 24 buses, followed by £1.35 million from a supplementary round towards the other eight.
Fitted to the new vehicles are USB-A and USB-C charging points, seat-back phone holders with wireless charging, high-backed seats, a glazed staircase and skylights, mood lighting, and twin wheelchair user spaces.
A heat pump that forms part of the battery temperature management system also provides air-conditioning, while a camera monitoring system, reversing sensors and public address capability are part of the specification.
Speaking about the further delivery, Reading Buses Chief Executive Robert Williams (pictured above, left) says: “Hot on the heels of our launch of electric buses on purple 17 and claret 21 routes come more zero-emission buses for the Reading area.
“We know that customers will love the new buses for not only their environmental credentials, but also the comfort on-board that they bring.”
To mark the expanding electrification of the Reading Buses fleet, it has introduced a mascot, Zippy the Zebra. Zippy will be active in the town soon to help spread the word about the new vehicles.
Meanwhile, Scania Alexander Dennis Enviro400CBG biogas-fuelled double-decks released from the purple 17 route by the opening Enviro400EV delivery have been refurbished, repainted in a new scheme, and moved to the sky blue 15 and 16 services.
