After announcing their electrification plans earlier this year, First York joined hands with leading EV charging solutions manufacturer, Rolec EV to ensure that the charging needs of their new electric buses were fulfilled. First York are not only the biggest bus operator in York, they are also operators of one of the largest fleets of double deck electric buses (outside of London), thus steering towards the right direction in reducing carbon emissions whilst improving air quality. In order to power the new additions to the fleet, Rolec EV’s 10 years of excellence in electric vehicle charging became the first point of call to accommodate their current and future electric buses.

Rolec EV have collectively provided 1,620KW of power via 70+ charging points, including a  combination of 22KW AC Type 2 charging sockets and an 80KW dual outlet DC Ultra-Fast Rapid Charger.  Having this infrastructure in place allows up to 72 electric bus drivers to park and charge their vehicles overnight in unison before carrying out their journeys the following day. First York have also benefited from Rolec EV’s bespoke back-office communications service, which supplies the bus operators with smart charging capabilities of managing charging activity, history, vehicle migration and more. This particular fixture, FleetSmart, delivers analytical reports to First York headquarters, enabling bus operators to evaluate charging behaviour across their electric fleet.

The government’s Net Zero initiative, reaching zero carbon emissions by 2050 is now well underway with various industries opting to future-proof their fleets. The partnership between Rolec EV and First York has come at a time where the electric vehicle industry is experiencing exceptional growth, especially for establishments who are keen to enhance their environmental efforts. Whilst this becomes a commonality amongst the vast majority, Rolec EV continues to be the focal point of discussion when it comes to providing EV charging solutions for a range of organisations.

Frankie Mellon, EV Sales Manager at Rolec EV said:

“We at Rolec EV are delighted to have formed a partnership with York’s largest bus operator, First York. Our bespoke EV charging solutions have always generated great feedback and this project is another addition to our portfolio, accompanying DPD, UPS, Battersea Power Station, Anglian Water and more.

The installation of the AutoCharge and UFC units supply a robust and future-proof solution, allowing First York to add more electric buses to their current fleet of twenty-one in the future with their electrification plans. We are now in a society where the general public are determined to reduce their environmental impact, the transition to an electric fleet is a great move from First York to encourage passengers to better their carbon footprint and we at Rolec EV are proud to be part of that journey.

We are also looking forward to the next stage of developments with First York where our back-office communications will enable bus operators to understand further insights regarding their fleet, for example the scheduled routes of the buses and whether they can complete the journey based on their current battery state, enabling the back-office system to redirect power to a vehicle that requires charging. This fully integrated solution will provide bus operators of First York with ease of mind when it comes to monitoring the whereabouts and charging requirements of their fleet.”