Zeelo Launches Open Trial Of UK Electric Bus Programs

Zeelo, the UK’s largest independent provider of 100% carbon neutral smart bus transport, has teamed up with leading players Pelican – the UK’s largest distributor of YUTONG electric buses and coaches – and electric fleet specialist Zenobē to launch a UK-wide roadshow to demonstrate the ease of use of battery-electric vehicles to Zeelo’s network of bus operators.

The demonstration will include the offer to trial the electric vehicle for six months on existing Zeelo services as part of a feasibility exercise.

From over two hundred vetted bus and coach operators, six will be given the chance to trial the Zeelo-branded Yutong TCe12 provided by Pelican, with portable charging infrastructure supplied by Zenobē. The initiative brings fleet operators a unique test & learn opportunity to trial an electric bus for one month that will enable them to assess the capabilities of electric
bus commutes and charging requirements.

The initiative forms part of Zeelo’s Net-Zero strategy which will offer its corporate and education clients the option to upgrade to a fully electric service, dramatically reducing the CO2 impact of bus commutes and improving air quality around their campus. 

Through a partnership with Zenobē the Open Trials will include demonstration of a package of charging infrastructure, battery replacement and software to operators which would be offered at a competitively priced financing scheme, with no prohibitive upfront costs, should operators wish to transition to fully electric fleets.

Sam Ryan, CEO of Zeelo, commented: “Our mission for all Zeelo programs to be Net-Zero by 2030 cannot be achieved without bringing the technology on the road. So we’re delighted to bring on board our operator partners and clients on the Net-Zero journey with us. 

As the UK’s largest electric bus distributor, Pelican together with Zenobe, helps us pave the way for a greener future of transport by transitioning our services incrementally to emission-free vehicles over the next seven years.”

Zenobē provides a full service offering to bus and coach operators including detailed power analysis, infrastructure design, vehicle and infrastructure financing, energy efficient charging, operational guarantees and power purchase agreements.

This partnership with Zeelo will see the EV fleet and battery storage specialist provide its portable charging infrastructure solution that provides a reliable electricity supply to sites where power is constrained.

Steven Meersman, Co-founder and Director of Zenobē, commented: “We are working with operators across the UK to find ways to overcome the challenges to coach fleet electrification over the long term. For many companies it’s essential that there’s an opportunity to ‘try before you buy’ – to run an electric service and experience the operational and commercial differences to diesel operations. 

By partnering with Pelican to deliver Zeelo’s Open Trial, we will provide bus and coach operators with the opportunity to trial electric buses within their own surroundings that will support them to make informed decisions as they transition to fleet electrification. 

We look forward to speaking to the participating operators and hearing what they’ve learned from their experience and whether we can help them with the next steps.”

In September 2022 Zeelo, in partnership with airport transport specialist Airsym, launched its first fully electric bus route for Dwight School London using a Yutong TCe12

Pelican Bus & Coach was launched in 2012 as part of the Pelican Engineering Group. Its success in the UK lies in its reliable long-term aftermarket support delivered locally by a team of dedicated and highly experienced industry professionals. 

Pelican has been supplying Zeelo with vehicles for various EV contracts.

Above & below Pelican showed a TCe12 at EuroBus 2022 destined for Swans Travel

A wheelchair lift is installed within the centre entrance of the TCe12

Richard Crump, Managing Director at Pelican, commented: “We are delighted and very excited to be working with Zeelo and Zenobe on this project. Both these companies, along with ourselves, have been at the forefront of the introduction of electric coaches to UK operators. 

Zeelo work with some of the highest profile corporate customers and I think the Yutong TCe12 will be of interest to these companies as a very clear and visible way of reducing their carbon footprint and emissions.”