Reading Buses has launched its first fleet of entirely electric vehicles in what has been described as a major turning point for the company. The 24 new buses were presented at the Great Knollys Street depot, which now features newly installed charging infrastructure.

The vehicles will serve the purple 17 route, running between The Water Tower in Tilehurst and Three Tuns on Wokingham Road. They will also operate on the claret 21 route, which serves the University of Reading and Lower Earley.

Robert Williams, chief executive officer at Reading Buses, said it expect the buses to “improve the passenger experience” as well as the environment. The vehicles can be charged overnight in three hours using the fast charge function or they can charge two buses in six and a half hours, and once charged they can then run all day.

“They can do all of our existing schedules without any changes,” Williams said. He noted that the buses include features such as heating, air conditioning, recycling bins, USB charging points and WiFi. The fleet is also equipped for wheelchair accessibility and includes a family area.

The vehicles cost approximately £14 million, a figure that excludes the additional cost of the charging infrastructure. The project received financial support from the Department for Transport.

“So it’s effectively for us the same cost as putting in a diesel bus, it’s part of our normal investment in Reading’s bus network,” Williams said. The company currently operates 177 buses and has placed orders for eight more vehicles to arrive later this year.

Approximately 40% of the existing fleet is powered by bio-methane gas. Williams stated that by the summer, more than half of the fleet will be categorised as low carbon. The company intends to continue this transition as older vehicles are replaced in the coming years.

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