Big Bus Tours to drive down emissions in e-bus charging partnership with Enel X
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Paris, December 1st, 2023 - Big Bus Tours, the largest operator of open-top sightseeing bus tours in the world, has agreed on a long-term vehicle charging partnership with Enel X in a move that will accelerate the operator’s journey to net zero CO2 emissions.
Enel X, the Enel Group’s global business line operating in the field of energy supply, energy management services and electric mobility, will provide “charging as a service” to Big Bus Tours in Paris.
This agreement will see Enel X fund the installation, civil and electrical works required for the electrification of the Big Bus Paris depot located in La Courneuve district of Paris. The project design will accommodate 5 x 150kW chargers at the depot, and 3 x 40kW movable chargers at the workshop. To facilitate a more efficient charging process, the smart charging technology will automatically recognise each bus without the need for RFID cards or apps.
These infrastructure enhancements will initially support 9 x ANKAI open-top electric buses in phase 1, with 10 more buses ordered for delivery early in 2024 as part of the planned zero emissions conversion of the sightseeing fleet. Phase 2 is also planned, with 15 additional electric buses, increasing to 34 electric buses over time.
Speaking in Paris today, Gerry Price, Executive Vice President - Group Operations, of Big Bus Tours said:
"We take great pride in leading this industry's first energy transition project, which involves the overhaul of our existing bus depot and the installation of 34 charging points. The depot conversion represents a significant industrial endeavour for our company, while ensuring minimal disruption to our daily operations and enhancing the experience for tourists visiting Paris.”
“Our Group's commitment to sustainable development and our industrial partnership in Paris with Enel X serves as a testament to our excellence in the field of transitioning to carbon-free energy and promoting cleaner mobility that respects the environment in which we operate."
This partnership is the first of its kind for Enel X in France, who is already the world's largest supplier of e-bus solutions outside of China. The company currently operates more than 3,200 e-Buses globally for local authorities and private transport operators. Enel X's e-bus solution is modular and customisable based on the customer's needs. This includes a complete end-to-end turnkey service ("e-Bus as a Service") consisting of comprehensive design support, vehicles, financing options, battery leasing ("Battery as a Service"), customised management system platforms (including proprietary smart charging software), depot construction, renewable energy procurement, virtual power plant integration, demand response schemes and smart mobility services.
Nicholas Magliocco, Head of Enel X Europe commented:
"Everyone at Enel X is excited to be partnering with the iconic Big Bus Tours brand. We share a common commitment to their customers and the inhabitants of the cities in which they operate in; to contribute to smarter and more sustainable transport that benefits the local environment. Together, we can support sustainable tourism in Paris while reducing costs and emissions for operators. We look forward to continuing this journey with Big Bus Tours across their operations in Europe, the UK and around the world.”
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About Enel X
Enel X Global Retail is the Enel Group’s global business line operating in the field of energy supply, energy management services and electric mobility. A world leader in the development of innovative solutions dedicated to accompanying residential consumers, businesses and municipalities throughout the energy transition, Enel X Global Retail offers an ecosystem of modular and integrated products and services, built around customer needs, digitalisation as well as electrification of uses and transportation. Enel X Global Retail manages demand response services with a total capacity of 9.4 GW and has installed more than 105 MW of behind-the-meter storage capacity, over 25,000 public EV charging points, as well as more than 3 million light points worldwide. Furthermore, it supplies energy to approximately 65 million customers every day. The Enel X Global Retail ecosystem of solutions is based on a platform business model that includes assets for optimising and self-producing energy, premium energy efficiency and management solutions, as well as competitive and flexible offers, to help the customers define their energy roadmap, accompanying them from the initial consultancy to the implementation of the solutions.
About Big Bus Tours
Big Bus Tours is the world’s largest operator of open-top sightseeing tours, inspiring the spirit of adventure in 26 world-famous cities across four continents. Beginning its journey with a fleet of only three buses, Big Bus Tours has swiftly expanded to a global fleet of hundreds of open-top buses, turning 6 million tourists into explorers, every year. Big Bus Tours operates in Prague, Boston, Madrid, Munich, Los Angeles, Singapore, Dublin, London, Dubai, Hong Kong, New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, Abu Dhabi, Budapest, Miami, Muscat, Rome, Paris, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Darwin, Sydney, Vienna, Washington DC and Berlin, with a sightseeing concept designed to provide a flexible approach to city discovery. Each open-top bus tour provides a hop-on, hop-off facility at a variety of interesting locations, with complementary additions to enhance the visitor sightseeing experience. In February 2015, private equity firm Exponent purchased Big Bus Tours, with a shared vision to make Big Bus Tours the number 1 thing to do in each world-famous city. In 2016, Merlin Entertainments PLC became a shareholder, offering a natural synergy with Big Bus Tours and Merlin attractions and experiences around the world. With entertaining digital audio commentary that gives customers an in-depth knowledge of the history and latest events in each city, the Big Bus city experience leaves every passenger with a story to tell. A perfect city companion, The Big Bus Tours app includes tour highlights, city guides and map and real-time bus tracking, downloadable in the Apple and Android App stores. For more information log onto the Big Bus Tours website www.bigbustours.com.
For interview requests or more information please contact:
Big Bus Tours
Christine Lee
Head of Marketing Communications
Enel X
Joe Farinella
Head of Communications & Marketing, RoE