First Bus opens 15 depots in Scotland, England for public EV charging

First Bus has launched 'First Charge,' a shared electric vehicle (EV) charging initiative that opens up its depot-based ultra-rapid charging infrastructure to businesses, fleet operators, and the general public for the first time. The Caledonia depot in Glasgow leads this initiative, offering 34 ultra-rapid chargers available to the public from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM at an introductory rate of £0.39 per kWh, marking a significant expansion of accessible EV charging in urban areas. First Bus operates 15 depots across Scotland and England under this programme, with plans to add six more by the end of the year, supporting a range of users including commercial fleets like DPD, Centrica, Openreach, and Police Scotland. The initiative is part of First Bus’s broader £320 million investment to achieve a zero-emission fleet by 2035 and aims to address critical gaps in the EV charging infrastructure, particularly for commercial operators in the rapidly growing eHGV sector. Supported by government investment, such as the Scottish Government’s £6.4 million funding for the Caledonia depot, the programme promotes increased EV adoption by providing reliable, high-power, and affordable charging options. First Bus emphasizes that sharing its infrastructure accelerates decarbonisation efforts, helping other users transition faster towards net-zero transportation.