First electric coach service to be trialled in England and Wales with London tickets from just £2.99
A first electric coach service will be launched in England and Wales, as part of a three month trial led by the travel tech firm FlixBus.
Travellers will be able to try out routes between London, Bristol and Newport in South Wales from June 2024. Ticket prices will start at £2.99 and the 46-seat coach includes USB charging points, free wifi and a toilet.
The zero-emission vehicle will save 352kg of carbon emissions per day compared to its diesel-fuelled counterparts, the equivalent of a reduction of more than 21 tonnes of CO2.
The trial will be run on Munich-based FlixBus’s long-distance UK coach network, alongside its operator partner Newport Transport.
Andreas Schorling, Managing Director of FlixBus UK said: “This is a huge step forward for the UK coach sector, transforming the already low-carbon mode of transport to zero-emission at the tailpipe through innovative technology.
“As the first electric long-distance coach service in England and Wales, we’re sending a powerful message about our continued commitment to bring even more sustainable travel options for the public, and our determination to drive forward the change needed to reduce the impact on the climate.”
David Jenkins, Interim Managing Director from Newport Transport, said: “Newport Transport has been leading the way in bringing electric vehicles to our network of local bus services in South East Wales and into England and bringing this electric vehicle to the intercity coach market is the next big step.”
The electric vehicle has a battery rating of 282kWh, and will be charged at a Transport UK, formely Abellio, bus depot in Battersea, London and at Newport Transport’s headquarters in South Wales.