From self-delivery to expert-led scale
After a self-delivered 6-vehicle pilot, Brinks partnered with Zenobē to scale to 25 vehicles in 12 months, cutting costs and timelines whilst projecting $800k in fuel and maintenance savings.
Implementing multiple vehicle types across three electrification phases
14
e-buses and charging infrastructure financed
c.1,308 tonnes
of CO2 saved from entering the atmosphere per year*
c.406kg
of NOx saved from entering the atmosphere per year*
*This number was updated on 11/12/24, in-line with our most up-to-date reporting methodology. Learn more here.
Working with Zenobē allowed First Group Leeds to implement multiple different vehicles at their depot over three phases.
The challenge
First Group initially wanted to deploy nine e-buses at its Hunslet Park depot for the Park & Ride service, with an additional five added for Phase two, as well as several electric minibuses.
The first phase of the depot was to support nine Yutong e-buses, however the additional e-buses introduced to the depot were manufactured Alexander Dennis/BYD and Mellor. This meant that the infrastructure and software solutions installed would need to work for multiple vehicles and charging options.
On top of that, the grid import capacity at the depot meant that the number of e-buses that could be charged at any one time was restricted.
The solution
Zenobē have been able to integrate our manufacturer agnostic, smart charging software across all vehicles and chargers. The versatility of our software means that First Group can charge and monitor all their assets on one platform, with full flexibility of manufacturer going forward.
On top of this, Zenobē financed all 14 e-buses and the charging infrastructure, bringing the CAPEX off-balance sheet and transforming it to OPEX. For the Mellor vehicles, Zenobē has provided a software only solution to suit our customer’s requirements.
We also managed the power procurement at each stage of the fleet expansion, installing a 500kWh on-site battery (BESS) to support the grid at peak periods.
The outcome
Zenobē installed smart charging software across multiple e-buses and chargers. A Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) supports charging despite the site’s limited grid capacity, while Zenobē’s financing of 14 e-buses and the charging infrastructure removed the technology risk for First Group.
Other Electric Fleet projects
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Zenobē partnered with Educational Bus Transportation (EBT), a managed entity of The Trans Group, to finance 10 electric school buses and deliver the associated charging infrastructure for Copiague Public Schools. The project supports New York State’s school bus electrification goals while providing zero-emission transport for approximately 4,500 students and creating a scalable foundation for future fleet expansion.
