A joint effort to improve access to sustainable transport in Cardiff and its environs, the investment is a collaboration between the bus company and its shareholder, Cardiff Council, after a successful bid for funding from the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Ultra-Low Emissions Bus Scheme.

Delivered by Pelican Engineering, the new buses mark the start of the operator’s fleet modernisation plans, with the new vehicles accounting for 24% of its fleet.

‘After an in-depth tender process, we worked with the team to produce these state-of-the-art zero emission vehicles,’ said Ian Downie, head of Yutong Bus UK for Pelican.

‘With over 127,000 zero emission Yutongs in service, completing 27 billion kilometres of operational service, the vehicles are tried, tested and proven. Cardiff’s specification required a number of UK supplied components to be fitted, which our team of UK engineers in Castleford completed over the past six weeks.

‘The full air conditioning, WIFI with USB charging vehicles, are not only zero emission, but also smooth and quiet in operation, demonstrating Cardiff Bus’s commitment to bring environmentally friendly and enhanced customer centric vehicles to the population of Cardiff.’

Zenobe, EV fleet and battery storage specialist, has financed and implemented the charging infrastructure for the 36 vehicles and an end-to-end software solution to manage fleet charging, as well as the resulting power requirements.

Paul Dyer, managing director at Cardiff Bus said: ‘We are extremely proud to unveil our new fleet of 36 fully electric buses. It is a huge step in not only our goal to reach zero emissions, but also our goal of providing a first-class service to our customers.’

Cabinet member for strategic planning and transport, Cllr Caro Wild, commented: ‘It is great to see the new fleet of electric buses on the streets of Cardiff, and they will play an important part towards our clean air and carbon neutral ambitions for the city.

‘These modern vehicles will significantly improve the customer experience and are great for the environment, as they produce zero exhaust emissions and reduce noise pollution as well.’