The drive towards decarbonisation continues with two states adding more electric buses to their public transport fleets.
In Queensland, 30 new electric buses are now on the road across Cairns, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and Logan. Recently the state also celebrated another milestone with the opening of Australia’s first all-electric bus depot at Currumbin.
The new facility is entirely powered by renewable energy (including a 56kW solar panel array), and will eventually be the base for 14 electric buses that will run on the 777-route that services the Gold Coast Airport in Coolangatta.
The new vehicles support the Queensland Government’s commitment that all buses in South East Queensland will be zero emission from 2025.
Meanwhile, Victoria is celebrating the completion of the state’s first two locally-manufactured electric buses, with the vehicles shortly to be deployed across 11 routes in the western suburbs of Melbourne.
The electric buses will be operated by Kinetic, with the operated set to introduce at total of 36 electric buses to its network by mid-2025, including five by June this year.
Additionally, the Victorian Government’s three-year $20 million Zero Emissions Bus Trial will shortly commence, adding a further 41 zero emissions buses across the state.