Reading Buses launches first electric double-deck fleet with Enviro400EV

Reading Buses has introduced 24 Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV battery-electric double-deck buses into service on its core network.

The vehicles, ordered in June 2024, have been launched on 5 February at the operator’s Great Knollys Street depot and are now operating on the purple 17 and claret 21 routes. The fleet represents the first electric double-deckers to enter service with Reading Buses, according to Alexander Dennis.

A further eight Enviro400EV double-deckers are on order for Reading Buses and are scheduled to enter service on the yellow 26 route.

The topic of the state of local bus manufacturing has been at the center of a Parliament debate in late January as, according to data showed by MPs, zero-emission bus registrations in Britain increased by 38 per cent year on year in 2025, while domestic bus production fell by 167 units over the same period.

ZEBRA 2-funded fleet introduction for Reading Buses

The buses were funded through the second round of the UK Government’s Zero-Emission Regional Bus Areas scheme, ZEBRA 2, in partnership with Reading Borough Council. One vehicle carries dedicated ZEBRA branding, while another features a “warming stripes” livery developed by the University of Reading, illustrating historical temperature data for Berkshire.

Reading is a town in Berkshire, England, located in the south-east of the United Kingdom, about 65 km west of London.

The introduction of the Enviro400EVs follows the redeployment of Alexander Dennis Enviro400CBG biogas double-deckers previously used on the purple 17, which are being cascaded to other routes to replace older diesel vehicles.

Enviro400EV uses Driventic motor

The Enviro400EVs are equipped with the heavy-duty Driventic Vehicle Electrical Drive System and batteries with a capacity of up to 472 kWh. Charging is supported by 13 fast chargers at the Great Knollys Street depot, each capable of serving two buses.

Passenger features include high-back seating with USB charging, social seating layouts, LED lighting, audio-visual next-stop information and two wheelchair bays. Alexander Dennis states that the Enviro400EV is among the most energy-efficient electric double-deck buses tested to Zemo Partnership standards under the UK Bus Cycle, with a warrantable energy throughput of up to 1.6 GWh over eight years.

Reading Buses Chief Executive Officer Robert Williams said: “I am beyond excited to be launching our first ever battery-electric buses at Reading Buses. More importantly than being zero emission, they are expected to bring a significant improvement in journey quality for our customers, with a smooth ride and rattle free high-quality interior designed to boost patronage with as few compromises to accommodate the technology as possible.”

Mark Taylor, Sales Manager for Alexander Dennis, said: “We are delighted to see these fantastic buses finally enter service in Reading. Reading Buses has an enviable reputation as an operator, especially in terms of their standards of customer experience, and over the years they have often been the springboard for Alexander Dennis’s next-generation vehicles. We’ve very proud to work so closely with them, and excited to receive feedback on the buses’ performance in service, which I’m sure will be exceptional.”