Courtesy Enel X
According to Enel X, the facility has been engineered from the ground up with scalability in mind; a modular approach which is hoped to enable expansion of existing infrastructure to accommodate a fleet of up to 56 electric buses. The depot currently hosts an initial 12.
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. Abellio’s e-buses incorporate 382kWh 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.
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. The demand response provider has also stated they will continue to work Abellio to deploy further e-bus infrastructure at facilities in Battersea and Beddington, as well as increasing charging capacity at the new Hayes depot.
Jon Eardley, managing director of Abellio London, stated on the project: “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 added: “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.”
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.
