Electric buses being charged by diesel generators

A fleet of new electric buses in East Yorkshire is being charged with generators that run on diesel due to delays in installing the necessary infrastructure, a firm has said.

East Yorkshire Buses launched 27 green electric vehicles in March to replace diesel models.

But the company said there had been "unexpected and significant" delays to the electric supply, so it took the decision to use the generators so older diesel buses could be removed from its fleet.

The firm said the use of the generators was a "short-term measure" while it commissioned the electric charging infrastructure.

East Yorkshire Buses said the £16.5m investment in the vehicles and their charging infrastructure was part of its commitment to cleaner, greener transport.

A spokesperson said the vehicles had been ready to enter service in November last year, but the main infrastructure contractor had gone into administration.

Five diesel powered generators were being used to charge 20 electric buses until there was a permanent electrical connection, they added.

The company said the arrangement still delivered environmental benefits because the electric fleet vehicles produced zero tailpipe emissions when in service.

A spokesperson from East Yorkshire Buses said: "Due to unexpected and significant delays in commissioning the electrical supply we took the decision to power the charging points in the short term with generators allowing us to remove older diesel buses from our fleet.

"The use of the generators is only ever a short-term measure and we expect the power supply to be commissioned in the coming few weeks."

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