Zeelo & Zenobē Partner To Provide Electric Bus Trials To Catalyze Adoption
EV fleet and battery storage specialist Zenobe and smart bus service platform Zeelo have signed a partnership to catalyze fleet electrification. Zenobe provides end-to-end solutions to fleet electrification, including charging infrastructure, battery replacement, and award-winning software. It is also involved in large-scale battery storage projects connected to the electricity grid. This includes refurbished batteries providing portable power or on-site static power to maximize clean energy usage.
Zeelo has already committed to a zero-emissions fleet in the UK and developed countries by 2030 and in emerging markets by 2035. Zeelo’s operations currently serve over 1.8 million daily commuters in the UK, North America, and South Africa. A strategic alignment with Climate Partner already offsets 3.5 kg of CO2 emissions per trip (12,000 tonnes annually) by planting trees in Uganda and constructing wind farms in Bulgaria. Zeelo says this has enabled it to become the only bus transportation service in Europe that is already entirely carbon neutral. Zeelo has recently partnered with Dwight School London. Dwight School London became the first Independent School in the UK to adopt a new electric bus service.
The partnership between Zeelo and Zanobe will facilitate fleet operators in Zeelo’s network of bus and coach operators to trial electric vehicles. Zenobe will also provide charging infrastructure for the trials. Over 200 bus and coach operators in Zeelo’s operator network will test-drive new electric vehicles, incorporating temporary charging infrastructure supplied by Zenobē.
With its ETaaS (Electric Transport-as-a-Service) solution, Zenobē is able to offer fleet operators and local governments a complete package, which includes charging infrastructure, battery replacement, and award-winning software, for a monthly cost. The high upfront costs of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, a lack of confidence in new technology, including charging procedures, vehicle range concerns, and uncertainty about the business model, are all obstacles that bus and coach operators who want to convert to electric fleets must overcome. The partnership hopes to make clean transportation a viable alternative by allowing clients and the network of Zeelo’s operators to test this technology.
Steven Meersman, Co-founder, Zenobē said, “To be a truly sustainable working relationship, this needs to deliver environmental and financial gains for Zeelo and its partners, while providing cleaner, greener transport for students and commuters.”
Sam Ryan, CEO, Zeelo said, “Through our partnership with Zenobē we can help kick-start a national transition out of a reliance on diesel amid the fuel crisis. That doesn’t just mean cutting people a deal, but actually ensuring that electric buses feel comfortable and safe to drive and easy to charge.”
All Zeelo partners (both employers and schools) will be given the option to upgrade to a fully electric service, dramatically reducing the CO2 impact of their commuters and improving air quality around their campus. Zeelo said, “We have concentrated on providing contractual guarantees and an EV trial package for our operator partners in order to make the transition to electric fleets as simple and low-risk as possible. Our partnership with Zenobe combines the knowledge and assistance of electric bus and coach manufacturers, charging infrastructure suppliers, and financial institutions with the technology and customer experience you are used to from Zeelo.”
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