Wednesday 11 December 2019

Birmingham Airport takes off with electric bus fleet

Birmingham Airport has replaced its current diesel bus fleet with fully electric ones as part of its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.

The airport’s 100% electric landside bus service is made up of six single deck buses supplied by Volvo Bus UK that consumes 80% less energy than the equivalent-sized diesel buses.

Two charging points have also been installed outside the terminal, taking up to six minutes for a full charge, with plans in place to make them available for future use by public electric buses and coach operators.

The airport invested a total of £1.8 million in the project, in addition to a £1.4 million grant provided by the Department for Transport under its Ultra Low Emission Bus Scheme.

The project supports the airport’s goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2033.

Nick Barton, CEO of Birmingham Airport said: “I’m extremely proud to say we are the first UK airport to implement a fully electric landside bus service. The buses are not only a big win for us in terms of the reduction in emissions but they will also contribute to providing an improved passenger experience. The 7900e Volvo UK buses are considerably quieter than the buses we had in use previously and are equipped with location-based passenger updates as well as USB charging built into every seat.

“This is a really exciting time for Birmingham Airport. Over the next 15 years, we are investing significantly to improve our facilities and service for customers, whilst reducing our carbon footprint to reach an ambitious target of net zero carbon by 2033.”