Scotland: Speeding into an Electromobile Future

The Scottish government is going all out to revamp old diesel bus fleets – £62 million, approximately €74.2 million, are being invested in Phase 1 of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB) to make Scottish fleets future-proof and emission-free – the funding is intended to support operators on their way to an emission-free fleet. 276 diesel buses will be replaced by electric buses.

On the path to a green bus fleet

The aim of ScotZEB is to promote a significant shift in the bus market in favor of emission-free technologies and thus create sustainable and inclusive growth.

By supporting the rapid transition to emission-free vehicles and infrastructures, the fund aims to help meet greenhouse gas reduction targets, contribute to the establishment of environmental zones, promote foreign investment, and support the growth of the supply chain for carbon-free vehicles and energy solutions in Scotland, which will positively impact employment, the economy, and society, according to the press release.

ADL participating with 137 electric buses

About half of the buses (137) come from the bus manufacturer ADL in Falkirk, Scotland. The funds will also help support skilled jobs as well as the company's apprentice and graduate programs.

"The Scottish government continues to set a good example with its support for the bus industry, and the ScotZEB Challenge Fund supports our collaborative business model, which relies on close cooperation with operators, infrastructure partners, and stakeholders. We are pleased that the applications for 137 of our emission-free buses were successful in this phase," said Paul Davies, President and Managing Director of ADL.

It won't work without subsidies – especially for smaller bus operators

Without the subsidies, medium-sized and smaller public transport operators in particular would find it difficult to transition to an electromobile future – as is made clear by the statements of several transport companies quoted in the government's press release.

For example, William Houston, owner of Houston's Coaches in Lockerbie, explains in the statement:

"We at Houston's want to do our part to respond to the climate crisis and transition to an emission-free fleet. As a smaller local company, it has been difficult for us to compete with larger companies and obtain financial support for the transition. The ScotZEB program has helped us to compete and enabled Houston's to invest in new emission-free buses."