Paua, which provides EV charging solutions for business fleets, has partnered with bus operator First Bus to launch Paua Share, enabling commercial EV fleets to access high-powered charging at shared bus depots across the UK.
First Bus operates over 5,500 buses across the UK and has invested in depot electrification, and opening up its depot infrastructure to third-party fleet operators.
The partnership with Paua marks a further significant shift in the use of semi-private charging assets enabling Paua to be first to market with an aggregated shared depot proposition all linked to one EV charging and payments platform.
Paua says the partnership allows its aggregated business fleet customers — including operators of larger commercial vehicles — to access an additional 11 depot locations equipped with high-powered EV chargers ranging from 150 kW to 350 kW speeds all backed by renewable power. These sites are strategically located across the UK to support operational flexibility and maximise vehicle uptime.
This new product, Paua Share, will enable a greater range of fleets to benefit from the First Bus charging infrastructure at a lower cost and with features designed for commercial vehicles.
Niall Riddell, CEO and co-founder of Paua, commented: "We are delighted to be working with First Bus on this groundbreaking initiative. This partnership once again illustrates Paua’s leadership position. We envisage a European wide network of shared depots as we build Europe’s lowest cost commercial fleet charging network."
Faizan Ahmad, director of decarbonisation at First Bus, said: "Sharing depot infrastructure unlocks enormous potential for commercial fleets, accelerating the shift to zero-emission transport while making smarter use of existing assets. First Bus are proud to have been pioneers in this space and further innovation and collaboration, as showcased here by our partnership with Paua, are key to building a truly integrated, low-carbon transport network."
Paua says the introduction of shared depot charging forms a key pillar in its expanding commercial vehicle and truck charging network, helping to overcome one of the biggest hurdles in fleet electrification: access to suitable, high-powered, and secure charging infrastructure. In particular the larger scale of the sites will suit the larger nature of commercial vans and trucks.
Research undertaken by the AFP in October that showed almost six out of 10 van fleets (58%) would consider sharing their depot or public charging infrastructure with others to make electrification more practical. Paua Share will be available to all fleets including those in the AFP.
Paua Share was developed off the back of a Department for Transport funded Innovate UK project. During the project Paua worked with Cenex, Suffolk County Council and Oxfordshire County Council to develop the mechanisms for depot sharing successfully deploying this with a number of partners across sites in these regions. The partnership with First Bus is the first step in commercialising this solution.
Paua Share starts with matchmaking a fleet with a depot. Then the fleet agrees any required sharing terms with the depot which includes issues like site health and safety, access hours or specific site rules. Drivers can then navigate to the site with dedicated information in the Paua App, arrive at the site, charge with their Paua Card or app. This charging is all recorded in the Paua fleet manager dashboard and costs are centralised for the fleet. Paua also provides billing services to its depot customers who always remain in control of their selected visitors with Paua.