The new electric buses are expected to join the fleet of DGC Buses, the council’s in-house bus service provider, in 2026. They are also expected to be incorporated into the SWestrans fleet, forming part of the subsidised local bus network managed by the regional transport partnership.
The purchase of these buses forms part of a £13.8 million award from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund, to support improvements to active and sustainable transport across the region. This includes the development of nine multimodal transport hubs, enhancements to local cycling infrastructure, the introduction of real-time passenger information systems, and other upgrades to local bus services.
The Enviro100EV is Alexander Dennis’s ‘big small bus’, offering 26 seats despite its diminutive 8.5m length and 2.35m width and providing easy access for passengers with reduced mobility thanks to a spacious interior. The Enviro100EV for Dumfries and Galloway Council will be the first to be fitted with three-point belts at all forward-facing seats as well as interior bike racks to support multi-modal active travel.
Powered by the Voith Electrical Drive System and fitted with 354kWh batteries, the largest available in this market segment, the Enviro100EV offers significant operational range on a single charge.
The Enviro100EV’s concept, size and range make it suitable for both urban and rural services, giving the council operational flexibility to deploy the buses as required.
Charlie Miller, Retail Sales Director for Alexander Dennis, said: “We’re delighted to have won this order for our Enviro100EV ‘big small bus’. We started talking to Dumfries and Galloway Council last autumn about their requirements. They loved the product and concept and we worked together to come up with a fantastic specification that ticks all of our customer’s boxes.
“Our demonstrator has already been tested in the council’s operation and the feedback from drivers, engineering and office staff was excellent – and so was its performance, giving Dumfries and Galloway Council peace of mind that its new electric buses will deliver perfectly.”
