Zeelo has concluded its battery-electric coach trial with eight partner operators, and says that the work has now directly led two of them – LandFlight Travel Services of Solihull and Ratho Coaches of Newbridge, near Edinburgh – to purchase such vehicles.
The supplier adds that nearly 10% of its services in the UK already use battery-electric power. Six other operators to participate in the trial were BM Coaches, Hearns Coaches, Marret’s Chariots, Roy McCarthy Coaches, Swans Travel, and Wilfreda Beehive. Swans is an existing operator of battery-electric in the coach field.
Primary aim of the project, which began around a year ago, was to showcase the feasibility and practicality of integrating battery-electric vehicles into Zeelo’s roster of coach operator partners, it explains. Pelican Bus and Coach provided a specially-liveried Yutong TCe12 and Zenobe deployed mobile charging infrastructure as part of that.
Zeelo believes that trial of the trial has proved “the viability of electric vehicles as a sustainable and economically sound choice for operators.” It is committed to overall electrification and net-zero status by 2030.
CEO Sam Ryan adds that the work “is a testament to the power of collaboration between technology and the operational know-how provided by our operator partners.”
Continues Mr Ryan: “We appreciate the concerns around fleet electrification, and we want to support our partners with long-term contracts that sustain such a purchase. By combining Zeelo’s expertise with [their] fleets, drivers and operational excellence, we can pave the way for a cleaner, greener future of transportation.”
LandFlight and Ratho Coaches have each commented positively on both the transition to zero-emission and the experience of battery-electric brought to their businesses by the evaluation of the TCe12.
Ratho Coaches Director and Co-Owner Charles McIntosh notes that the trial was “seamless” and that the decision to subsequently purchase a TCe12 “was a natural progression.”
Mr McIntosh continues: “The electric model has demonstrated exceptional performance across diverse operations in the Edinburgh area, earning high praise from both drivers and passengers alike.
“The positive feedback, coupled to the notable reduction in overall operating costs, solidified our confidence in the TCe12 as a sustainable and efficient addition to our fleet.”
LandFlight Managing Director Akhtar Ali adds that evaluation of the demonstrator gave “invaluable insights” into the type. The business added a TCe12 of its own earlier this year and is on the cusp of another, “a decision fuelled by the positive experience and Zeelo’s commitment to providing contracts that make the transition financially sustainable,” he says.
Zeelo offers corporate and education clients the option to upgrade to zero-emission services. Where that is taken up, the supplier provides what it calls “a comprehensive package of charging infrastructure, battery replacement, and technology – all offered [via] a competitively priced financing scheme.”
