More new electric buses on the way into 2026

Following the delivery of 170 brand new ADL Enviro400EVs into their Perry Barr and Yardley Wood garages, National Express West Midlands have started receiving the first of 130 new Streetdeck Electroliners from Northern Irish bus manufacturer Wrightbus.

This will conclude the delivery of 300 new electric buses that was announced back in 2023, and it has been a painfully long process! The first of these new Electroliners are not expected to enter service until later this year, with the majority likely to be on the road by mid-2026.

Where are they going?

In a previous article I wrote back in 2023, the ‘rumour’ going around was that these Electroliners would be going to Wolverhampton and Acocks Green. However that was two years ago, and it would seem that ‘plans have changed’ somewhat, due to the time its taken to get these buses ordered and delivered, plus in the meantime, the decision for TfWM/WMCA to proceed with bus franchising has complicated matters as well.

Plans are still somewhat ‘flexible’ at this stage, however I understand that two options are looking extremely likely.

I am aware that works are currently underway at Wolverhampton garage to have charging infrastructure installed, however this is not likely to be ready for buses to be used until towards the end of this year. As part of the bus franchising process, it is expected that this garage is one that will be purchased by the WMCA, so National Express doesn’t have a problem with investing in this charging infrastructure.

The Coventry Electric Bus City project requires that all buses should be zero-emission by the end of 2025. Now, while the majority of the fleet at the Coventry garage are electric double-decks, there are still 28 diesel single-decks there. However, the only routes operated out of there that ‘need’ single-decks – due to low-bridge constraints – are the Warwickshire County Council (WCC) contracted routes to Rugby, as well as the 20B variant to Longford Novotel.

My understanding is that the WCC Rugby-Coventry contracts are currently out for tender, with new contracts commencing from 1st January 2026, and National Express Coventry are not bidding on them. With a potential rerouting of the 20B service to avoid the low bridge on Woodshires Road, the ‘need’ for single-deck vehicles becomes eliminated.

Now, you might be thinking, why not just replace most of the diesel single-decks with new Electroliners then? The complication is that this vehicle uses a slightly different charging system, utilising AC (alternating current) input, rather than DC (direct current) input, as the ADL Enviro400EVs use.

Correction: I got it the wrong way round, the Electroliners only have DC charging ports, while the later BYDs have both AC and DC, however the chargers at Coventry, Perry Barr and Yardley Wood only output AC current.

While it is possible to install extra chargers at Coventry that can accommodate both AC/DC systems, I understand that these will be fitted at Perry Barr garage instead, so some of their ADL Enviro400EVs can head to Coventry, displaced by some new Electroliners.

With question marks over whether the WMCA considers the Pensnett and West Bromwich garages suitable sites to purchase, it is unlikely that National Express will be investing in charging equipment at those sites, so not much chance of them seeing new vehicles.

Walsall garage is already owned by the WMCA, having been purchased a couple of years ago now. While there was originally an intention for this to be a ‘hydrogen’ garage, as they already utilise 20 vehicles leased from Birmingham City Council – which mostly sit around doing nothing – since NX abandoned further investment in hydrogen-fuelled buses, I wouldn’t be surprised if some new electric buses ended up there, once the necessary equipment was installed of course.

It appears to be unlikely that Acocks Green garage will see any of these new buses now.

Don’t take any of this as gospel just yet though, as plans could inevitably change again before the end of the year!

What routes will they be used on?

Gone are the days when new buses were allocated to specific routes to ‘upgrade’ them, as can be seen at Perry Barr and Yardley Wood garages, they will be used on any suitable route that can take them.

When do we get to ride on them then?

Not for some time!

While the new vehicles are arriving at a steady pace now, after being ‘prepped’ at the Birmingham Central garage, by having equipment installed and livery vinyls applied, they’ll be sent off for storage, and kept safe until they can be delivered to their final destination for use in service.

But it is fair to assume that bus passengers in the Black Country area can look forward to travelling on new electric buses by at least early next year. Just not any time soon!

Featured image (c) Tony Hunter, WM Buses In Photos, used as always with permission