Zenobē partners with Big Bus Tours to launch new electric fleet

Majority of travellers say they prefer environmentally friendly modes of transport

Zenobē, a pioneer in electrifying transport fleets, has partnered with Big Bus Tours to deliver 20 sustainable open-top buses and the associated charging infrastructure to transform London’s sightseeing experience.

The new vehicles go a long way to supporting the growing desire for greener tourism options, with Booking.com data revealing that 79% of travellers globally saying they want to use environmentally friendly modes of transport while on holiday.

The agreement sees Zenobē financing the e-buses, in the company’s first retrofit project, as well as providing a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to enable Big Bus to be more proactive and agile with their energy costs.

Big Bus’ existing 10-year-old open-top Ankai diesel buses are making the switch from diesel to electric, after being repowered with a 328 kWh LG Chem Battery and powertrain, by Equipmake Limited.

Zenobē has also installed 10 temporary Direct Current (DC) chargers at Big Buses’ Wimbledon depot. This solution has enabled Big Bus to get their retrofitted fleet on the road in time for the busy spring, summer season and before the upgrade of the local electricity grid is complete.

The final of the first 10 buses is already in service with a further 10 to follow at year’s end.

According to Zenobē founder, Steven Meersman, the company is focused on delivering cleaner transport for London. 

“Research shows travellers are increasingly looking for ways to reduce their impact when on holiday, and leading operators like Big Bus have recognised that going electric is not just the right thing to do, but also a competitive advantage,” he said.

“We’re excited to explore more opportunities like this to speed up decarbonisation of the transport sector in the UK.”

Pat Waterman, Chairman at Big Bus Tours, said: "We take immense pride in leading the change towards electric vehicles in the sightseeing industry. 

“Our commitment to sustainability is not just words, we are taking concrete actions to ensure a cleaner and greener future for our customers, future generations and our planet."