In another stride towards Scotland’s net zero goals, the new fleet of six buses will reduce the country’s overall carbon dioxide emissions and improve air quality.

This comes off the back of the recent news of Scotland’s first rural electric bin lorry being rolled out in Dumfries & Galloway.

The project is another first for Scotland through its use of opportunity charging, in which the buses receive rapid charges of power while travelling through its route, rather than the buses topping up overnight.

Taking full advantage of opportunity charging, the buses can travel up to 100 zero-emission miles on a full battery. A full day’s service – which takes in 270 miles – will be covered by each vehicle.

Funding for five of the six buses came by way of £2 million from SP Energy Networks’ £20m Green Economy Fund and will operate on a Stagecoach West Scotland route connecting villages along the Irvine Valley with Kilmarnock town centre.

The new electric buses were built by Volvo and will benefit from opportunity charging of 300KW. They should save around 680 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

The new vehicles also have USB charging points, interior LED lights and benefit from a low noise level to provide a better overall customer experience.

This all while the British government appears to be lagging behind in its goals to achieve net zero – a fact brought to the fore recently when a report into batteries and fuel cells concluded that the country is at risk of losing its automotive industry.

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Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, said: “This all-electric service will help the country to develop the green transport network of the future and support jobs right here in Scotland alongside supporting Kilmarnock bus users and the environment.

“The major funding from SP Energy Networks to launch Stagecoach’s electric fleet will significantly speed up the transition to zero-emission buses.”

Frank Mitchell, chief executive at SP Energy Networks, added: “Stagecoach’s six electric buses and charging hub are key to delivering electric transport in the region.

“Using the innovative work taking place in Kilmarnock as a blueprint for the first zero-emissions buses serving rural communities, we can work together to build a healthier and greener Scotland, as well as enhancing public transport experience for local people.”

SP Energy Networks – who covered the lions share of the bill for the new buses – is part of the Scottish Power group, a Principal Partner for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held in Glasgow in three months’ time.

It is developing an energy model that seeks to help the UK reach its climate change targets, investing a total of £10 billion into clean energy and networks infrastructure needed to help the UK decarbonise and reach net zero emissions.