Pulhams deploys 15 electric buses in Gloucestershire with £8.17 million investment

Pulhams, a Go-Ahead subsidiary operating in the Cotswolds, has put 15 new Wrightbus electric buses into service on public transport routes following an £8.17 million investment. The fleet comprises seven double-decker Electroliners with 442 kWh batteries and eight single-decker GB Kites (four 11.6 m models with 528 kWh batteries, four 10.2 m models with 442 kWh batteries), with £6.63 million spent on vehicles and £1.54 million on charging infrastructure. Funding came from Go-Ahead Group (£4.7 million), the Department of Transport's ZEBRA scheme (£3.21 million) and Gloucestershire County Council (£255,000).

Why it matters: The project demonstrates how combined public and private funding can unlock regional electric bus procurement, with the ZEBRA scheme covering nearly 40 per cent of total costs. The infrastructure spend of £1.54 million for 15 buses offers a benchmark for depot electrification budgets in similar rural and semi-rural operations.