The milestone – the equivalent of driving around the world 80 times – means the fleet of hydrogen and battery electric buses have prevented almost 3,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions entering the atmosphere compared with journeys made by an equivalent diesel bus.

Ben Werth, Chief Commercial Officer at Wrightbus, said it is working “tirelessly and innovatively” in the UK’s ambitions for decarbonisation.

He said, “These latest figures … means we must continue to strengthen the case for further support for zero-emissions transport, both in the UK and around the globe, to ensure net zero targets are met.”

Wrightbus unveiled the world’s first hydrogen-powered double decker bus – the Hydroliner – in Aberdeen in 2020, with a fleet of buses entering passenger service the following January.

The firm claims its StreetDeck Electroliner battery electric is ‘the world’s most efficient double deck electric bus’, following assessments undertaken at the UTAC test facility using the Zemo-accredited Ultra Low Emission Bus (ULEB) test. According to ULEB calculations, the Electroliner also produces 86% less CO2 per km than the Zemo Euro VI diesel baseline.

This year has seen a number of deals confirmed with First Bus, the National Transport Authority (NTA), as well as in Australia and Germany.