The transport start-up launched in 2020 with two coaches operating its first route between Dundee and Edinburgh. Today, Ember’s network also includes services to destinations including Glasgow, Stirling and Kinross. The purchase of an additional 14 coaches will take its total fleet to 38 vehicles, helping provide more passenger trips every week and scale its route network further.
As well as expanding its routes, the company has made significant improvements to its coaches since it first launched, including increasing passenger spaces from 38 to 53 and tripling luggage capacity. Ember’s vehicles now provide 5G WiFi access, while its operating system, EmberOS, offers real-time route information to passengers and onboard temperature controls that ensure passengers are always comfortable. To support its expanding services, the company is increasing its charging capacity by launching multiple new charging hubs around Scotland.
The loan from Triodos marks the latest support Ember has received from the bank. A £490,000 loan under the government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) helped Ember to buy its first two coaches and the bank has since provided £4.7m through the CBILS and the government-backed Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS).
Norrie Cruickshank, senior relationship manager at Triodos Bank UK, said: “Supporting the transition to a low carbon economy is an important objective for us as a bank and to work with a pioneering company in the electrification of transport is an ideal fit for us. We’re excited to have the opportunity to provide further support as Ember continues to expand its provision of high quality, affordable zero-emission transport to a greater number of passengers across more locations.”
Keith Bradbury, co-founder at Ember, added: “Triodos have been with us from the very start of Ember and have adapted their approach as we’ve scaled the business, taking a deeper look into our long-term plans, and understanding what financial backing they could provide to support each phase. Whilst many banks say they are supporting green projects, Triodos stand out from the crowd with their ability to look at a project’s merits from first principles to understand the true impact it can deliver.”
Alongside the loan from Triodos Bank, Ember also received funding for the new coaches from Transport for Scotland using the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZeb).
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Notes to editors:
For further information and photography please contact:
Ellie James
T: 0117 311 0241
[email protected]
About Triodos Bank
Founded in 1980, Triodos Bank has become a frontrunner in sustainable banking globally. As an independent bank that promotes responsible and transparent banking, it does not see any conflict between a focus on people and the planet and a good financial return. Instead it believes that they reinforce each other in the long-term.
Triodos Bank has banking activities in the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, Spain and Germany as well as Investment Management activities based in the Netherlands but active globally. Triodos Bank co-founded the Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV), a network of sustainable banks. Together these banks want to grow sustainable banking and its impact on the real economy substantially.
About Ember
Ember was started by Keith Bradbury and Pierce Glennie in 2020 as the world's first all-electric intercity bus operator. Ember now operates the largest fleet of electric coaches in the UK. By using electric vehicles, Ember is reducing the planetary impact of travel whilst also offering a better passenger experience. Ember is based in Edinburgh.
The transition to electric vehicles is essential to combating global warming. Ember’s coaches can travel up to 350 miles on a single charge and can charge at up to 600kW, allowing each one to travel up to 180,000 miles per year. By using the coaches this intensively, the lifetime emissions (including manufacturing the vehicle) end up being a tiny fraction of the diesel equivalent.
Ember’s brand new, all electric, coaches use the latest generation of LFP batteries which are cobalt free. They are charged using green energy which in some cases comes directly from onsite renewables such as wind.
Triodos Bank UK Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triodos Bank NV. Registered Office: Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 5AS. Registered in England and Wales Company No. 11379025. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 817008. VAT reg no 793493383.