VEV powers Loughborough’s transition to electric buses with smart charging and on-site solar for Kinchbus

28 January 2026

Leading e-fleet solutions provider VEV has delivered the charging and energy infrastructure in support of the rollout of eleven fully electric buses at Kinchbus’ Loughborough depot this week, marking another major milestone in the electrification of public transport in the UK.

The project forms part of an £8 million investment by Kinchbus to begin transforming their fleet to electric vehicles, which will see a total of 22 new electric buses enter service in March, backed by new high-powered smart chargers and solar generation delivered by VEV.

Once fully deployed, the electric fleet is expected to require up to 1.4GWh of electricity per year, all managed through VEV’s intelligent charging and energy management platform, VEV-IQ.

As part of the depot upgrade, VEV is also working to install 53kWp of on-site solar PV, which is expected to generate approximately 44MWh of renewable electricity annually. This is expected to save the equivalent of 10 tonnes of CO₂ per year, the same as planting around 450 trees.

Tom Morgan, Managing Director at Kinchbus, said: “This is a huge milestone for public transport in Loughborough. It’s a green new dawn for the town, with zero emissions from quieter, smoother and more reliable journeys.

“Kinchbus customers can be proud and excited to be part of the future of bus travel, enjoying a next-level experience of comfort and convenience while supporting sustainable public transport that benefits both the climate and local air quality.”

VEV’s software platform is already being used to manage charging across hundreds of chargers nationwide, delivering high levels of reliability for mission-critical fleet and public charging operations.

All charging activity is intelligently managed to prioritise lower-cost, off-peak electricity while actively limiting demand during peak grid-stress periods, particularly between 16:00 and 21:00. This approach helps reduce energy costs, protects grid infrastructure, and ensures reliable day-to-day fleet operations.

The Loughborough project further strengthens VEV’s growing footprint in the UK bus sector, following major charging infrastructure deployments for operators including Stagecoach, where VEV is supporting the rollout of large-scale electric bus fleets through high-power charging and energy optimisation.

Barry Keane, Business Development Manager at VEV, said: “There’s no question electric buses are better buses, delivering huge benefits for passengers, operators and communities. But the transition only works if the energy and charging strategy is right. Kinchbus Loughborough demonstrates how smart charging, on-site generation and digital control can come together to support reliable, cost-effective zero-emission bus operations from day one.

By combining infrastructure delivery with real-time optimisation through VEV-IQ, we’re helping operators electrify with confidence while minimising cost and reducing pressure on the electricity grid.”

ENDS

For interviews with VEV or more information please contact Sue Terpilowski sue@imageline.co.uk or Vy Le pr@imageline.co.uk 0207 689 9009

For media inquiries or further information, please contact Media@vev.com. VEV’s media kit is available here.

About VEV

VEV helps organisations deliver on their carbon reduction ambitions with an end-to-end fleet electrification solution that integrates across vehicles, charging infrastructure and power. VEV is owned by Vitol, a world leader in energy, which to date has committed circa $2 billion to sustainable energy initiatives worldwide.

VEV navigates the complexities of EV transformation to design and implement cost-effective EV fleets optimised for specific fleet requirements. It supports EV fleet operations to guarantee resilience and keep mission-critical fleets running at scale. Bespoke, scalable business solutions are designed around the customer’s own fleet data analysed by a powerful assessment tool, VEV-IQ, and VEV’s experts in energy and sustainable e-mobility. VEV sets businesses up for success in an electrified future.

More information at www.www.www.vev.com