Stagecoach has unveiled expansion plans for its Chargd B2B electric vehicle charging network, with a further nine depots due to come online before the end of 2026.
The operator revealed the plans at the national launch of Chargd, held at its Cambridge depot.
It also confirmed that six sites are now fully operational at Inverness, Cambridge, Oxford, Stockton, Ash Grove in London and Dover.
The additional locations will be Kilmarnock, Perth and Aberdeen in Scotland, Lea Interchange and Bromley in London, Nuneaton and Rugby in the Midlands, and Sunderland and Chesterfield in the North.
The launch event follows the announcement of Chargd in May as a way of utilising spare daytime capacity at suitable electrified depots across the UK.
Stagecoach’s market research identified a gap in the market, with managers complaining current charging facilities were often not built for larger fleets, were unreliable, or difficult to access for vans or HGVs.
Chargd is specifically targeting HGV and light commercial vehicle fleets but it is not offered exclusively to those. They can make use of the same high-power, commercial-grade charging on which the buses rely.
Stagecoach says interested fleets will initially undergo a suitability check before being contracted. Fleet managers will then be introduced to the sites.
For drivers, the operator says it has worked hard to ease the process. Signage clearly labels the way to the Chargd bays, which are specially designed to accommodate larger vehicles. Drivers can start charging using RFID or an approved roaming card and use facilities such as a coffee shop.
Present in Cambridge at this week’s launch were representatives from the local Chambers of Commerce and partner organisations, including Scania, Paua, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) and fleet transition specialists VEV.
Delegates heard presentations from Stagecoach executives and partners before travelling by electric bus to the depot for a tour and demonstration of the charging infrastructure, showing how third-party commercial fleets and HGV operators can access the facilities.
Debra Goodwin, Chief People and Customer Officer at Stagecoach, says: “It was fantastic to welcome our partners, the media, and local business leaders to show them exactly what Chargd can do. We aren’t just talking about the future of fleet decarbonisation; we are actively delivering it.
“By opening up our live depots, we are providing UK businesses with the high-capacity, rapid-charging infrastructure they need to transition their fleets with complete confidence.”
Simon Cubitt, Commercial Director for Bus and Coach at VEV, adds: “We’re proud to support Stagecoach as it opens its depot network to commercial fleets through Chargd.
“This is exactly the kind of collaborative approach the industry needs, making better use of existing infrastructure while providing other businesses access to dependable, high-powered charging.
“By combining the right infrastructure, energy management and operational expertise, we’re making fleet electrification more accessible and helping transport and logistics operators transition with confidence.”
The initiative forms part of Stagecoach’s wider sustainability strategy, which includes a target of operating a fully zero-tailpipe-emission bus fleet by 2035.
