First e-bus project delivered by Enel X UK. New depot established in West London

Enel X UK has completed its first e-bus project for Abellio London Bus, a division of Abellio Group and a major transport operator across the country. The new depot, located in Hayes, houses innovative e-buses delivering zero-emission transport to West London.

According to forecasts by independent advisory firm Accuracy, the UK’s electric bus fleet is set to grow by 180% and will become the biggest in Europe by 2024. Enel X is supporting the implementation and operation of e-Buses in the UK today, with significant growth planned for the following years.  

Enel X has recently announced it is going to test the zero-emission battery electric bus by Arrival in Italy. The utility and infrastructure provider has also a deal with Iveco in force.

Enel X UK first e-bus project in London

Delivery of the new Hayes depot is the first of three e-bus projects that Abellio has awarded to Enel X in the Greater London area. Enel X will work with Abellio to deploy further e-bus infrastructure at facilities in Battersea and Beddington, as well as increasing charging capacity at the new Hayes depot. The Hayes facility has been engineered from the ground up with scalability in mind; a modular approach will enable Enel X to seamlessly expand the existing infrastructure to accommodate a fleet of up to 56 electric buses.

Enel X’s e-bus team was responsible for enabling the site’s electrical infrastructure for e-bus charging, installing a low voltage switch panel and switch gear that now powers six 300kW Enel X Way charging stations. The charging stations will run on Enel X Way software that is able to optimise charging schedules based on site load, energy costs, and bus timetables, Enel X says. Abellio’s e-buses incorporate 382 kWh batteries that can be fully charged in just over 3 hours. Enel X will also maintain and service the charging stations for the next 14 years.

Enel X: focus on public transport

Enel X, the Enel Group’s global business line focused on offering services addressed at accelerating innovation and energy transition, is today a global leader in electric mobility applied in the public transport sector, with more than 195,000 electric vehicle charging points around the world connected to its platform today. Globally, Enel X has already been contracted to manage and serve more than 1,400 e-buses, making it the largest provider of e-bus solutions in the world today outside of China.

Jon Eardley, Managing Director, Abellio London said: “At Abellio we are very proud to be leading the way in the operation of zero emission buses on London’s bus routes. The successful growth of our EV fleet is reliant upon introducing a robust and scalable infrastructure. Enel X have supported us at our Hayes depot to operate state-of-the art buses that are providing more comfortable, accessible journeys to passengers and contributing to the decarbonisation of the network in London.”

Tony Whittle, Head of Enel X UK & Ireland said: “We are excited to announce the completion of our first e-bus project here in the UK, Abellio’s Hayes depot, which is designed for quick scaling of their e-bus fleet and easy accommodation of future charging technology. We look forward to our continued collaboration with Abellio at this and other depots as a trusted energy partner, helping them navigate the transition to electrified transportation and contribute to the Government’s net zero targets.