THE first bus depot in the UK to offer electric vehicle charging has opened in Summercourt following a £1-million investment.

First Bus’ new purpose-built charging hub is the first-of-its-kind for the bus industry, providing direct access for the public to rapid electric charging infrastructure for electric cars and vans. 

The company says the hub is ideally placed to provide the local area with key electrical charging infrastructure.

The site is easily accessible in a key location along the A30 corridor helping ease electric vehicle drivers’ EV range anxiety as they travel through the county.

The new site can also play a key role in supporting the local region’s transition to electric vehicles to help cut emissions and provide cleaner air for the local communities.

The ‘turn up and charge’ hub offers eight rapid chargers, payment via contactless credit card, with no app or signup required, at 69p/kWh, rapid charging rates of up to 150kW, which will see an average family car can be charged to 80 per cent in around 30 minutes and is open seven days a week between 6am and 10pm.

Refreshments, restrooms and a waiting area are also available on site.

The 12-month project saw a £1-million investment from First Bus to provide the local area with key electric charging infrastructure, creating a charging site for the community to use for years to come.

The chargers at Summercourt are also available for local businesses to use following the successful pilot of B2B charging provision by First Bus in Glasgow and Leicester, where companies such as DPD and Police Scotland benefit from the use of the operator’s infrastructure for their EV fleets. 

Simon Goff, First Bus South’s managing director, said: “Opening the Summercourt hub is a hugely exciting step forward in our decarbonisation journey. For local people, visitors and business, the new hub ensures EV drivers can charge their vehicles on a reliable connection at a fair price.

“We’re the first bus operator to offer consumer charging and I’m proud that we’re able to support the local community with this vital infrastructure that will make a difference for many years to come.”

Malcolm Bell, the executive chairman of Visit Cornwall, added: “Visit Cornwall really welcomes this investment as we know that many people with EV are desperate to see an improvement in the charging infrastructure in Cornwall. 

“Its proximity close to the A30 is excellent for not only local people but visitors making longer journeys.”

The Summercourt charging hub is the next step in the company’s decarbonisation strategy and aligns with its mission to operate a fully zero emission fleet by 2035 and marks a huge leap forward for its customers, colleagues and the local environment.