Essex Police has announced a partnership with First Charge to support the continued rollout of electric vehicles.
The partnership will see Essex Police use high-power charging infrastructure at First Bus’s Basildon depot to support its growing electric fleet, which this year is set to increase to 50 electric vehicles, and will increase to reach just under 800 vehicles in the years to come.
Essex Police first began its transition to electric vehicles in 2022, initially utilising the public charging network. As its electric fleet has expanded, access to high-capacity charging has become essential to operational delivery – and the force believes that First Bus’s Basildon depot will provide the answer to its ongoing needs.
The partnership comes as emergency services have begun working toward government targets to transition to the use of zero-emission vehicles, including the 2035 deadline for the phase-out of new petrol and diesel cars and vans.
Jason Tyrrell, Acting Head of Fleet at Essex Police, said:We are committed to reducing the environmental impact of our fleet while continuing to catch criminals and keep people safe across Essex.
Moving to electric vehicles is a key part of that journey, but access to suitable charging infrastructure is essential. Working with First Bus through First Charge allows us to support the expansion of our electric fleet using existing, high-power infrastructure, while maintaining the operational resilience our service requires.
First Charge already has an established partnership with Police Scotland, with their vehicles having been charged at First Bus’s Aberdeen and Caledonia depots since 2022. First Charge is set to continue its work with emergency services in the East of England, with Norfolk Police expected to begin charging electric vehicles at First Bus’s Roundtree Way depot in Norwich in the coming months.
