Tootbus, the world’s greenest sightseeing bus company, partners with VEV for end-to-end renewable plan

International sightseeing bus operator Tootbus to work with VEV, the e-fleet solutions provider backed by Vitol, to go fully renewable.

In a market-first, this agreement means that Tootbus will be able to deliver a green service from end-to-end in its London operations.

Tootbus is the world’s first clean energy sightseeing bus company and is a leading operator of hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tours in Bath, London, Paris, and Brussels. Tootbus has been investing in its green strategy since 2021 when it converted to HVO fuel, which reduces CO2 emissions by 90%. Moving to the next phase with electric vehicles (EVs), Tootbus has appointed VEV to develop the overall fleet electrification plan.

Starting this month, VEV is enabling Tootbus to power their current electric fleet consisting of three vehicles, with 100% renewable power and installing the first 10 EV chargers.

Subject to planning permission and surveys, VEV will install solar power generation at the Tootbus Wandsworth depot to generate 65,000kwh. This could power 60,000km of sightseeing bus travel, which will not only be 100% green but also reduce the load drawn from the National Grid.

Tootbus will leverage the VEV-IQ smart energy management platform. VEV’s proprietary system enables fleet operators to monitor power supply, charging infrastructure and vehicle usage to keep their fleets on the road and maximise energy efficiency.

VEV’s end-to-end electrification solution will help Tootbus continue to reduce its carbon output, with carbon emissions expected to decrease by 15,567kg per year from the plan. By 2029, Tootbus’ fleet will be fully electric – with a mix of buses converted from HVO to electric and brand new EVs, hitting this goal way ahead of the Mayoral push for green vehicles in London.

Speaking about the deal, Mike Nakrani, CEO of VEV said: “The bus and tourism sectors have a critical role to play in helping to decarbonise UK roads. As the transition to electrification is set to gain pace over the immediate and longer-term future, leading players in these sectors have recognised that going green is not only the right thing to do, but is also a competitive advantage and are keen to make the switch as soon as possible. We’re excited to be working with Gavin and his proactive team at Tootbus to demonstrate the invaluable impact that fleet electrification and smart energy management have in helping cities to reduce carbon emissions. We look forward to continuing to support them in leading the way towards more sustainable travel.”

Gavin Brooking, Managing Director, Tootbus UK, added: “Green tourism is at the heart of our business strategy and is an important investment for us. We recognised the enormous potential that switching to a complete end-to-end sustainable electric fleet could have in helping us achieve our emissions-reduction goals. With its extensive expertise in the sector of smart energy management, VEV is an ideal like-minded partner for us with a bespoke, turnkey solution.”