Dutch and Australian bus makers join forces to build electric buses in Australia

Ebusco, a Dutch pioneer in fully electric city and regional buses, has this week launched a regional partnership with the Australian Bus Corporation – comprising Precision Buses and Bustech – to  build and maintain the next generation of electric buses in Australia and New Zealand.

The primary focus of the new joint venture is to launch the Ebusco 3.0, a next generation carbon fibre-based bus which will save over 4 tonnes in weight, feature a low flat floor, optional panoramic roof, and which will boast a range in excess of 500 kilometres on a single charge.

Ebusco bills itself as “a pioneer and a forerunner in the development of electric buses and charging systems and is now able to offer an electric bus that is cheaper than a diesel bus.”

The Australian Bus Corporation is the largest Australian owned bus designer and manufacturer in Australasia. Made up of Bustech, which is based in Burleigh Heads, Queensland, and Precision Buses, which is based in Edinburgh Parks South Australia, the group supplies nearly 300 buses a year around Australia.

The resulting partnership between Ebusco and Australian Bus Corporation brings together significant expertise and experience and, in particular, an entirely new market for Ebusco’s to demonstrate the importance of its electric buses over traditional diesel models.

“The Australian Bus Corporation and Ebusco initially met at the BIC conference in Canberra, Australia,” explained Simon Pearce, the newly appointed Strategic Director of Asia Pacific for Ebusco, referring to the Bus Industry Confederation (BIC) National Conference.

“Ebusco has extensive experience in developing zero emission European quality buses using European parts, with a F35 inspired carbon fibre design. Ebusco has delivered over 150 electric buses into fleet in Europe with a further (at this moment known) 245 electric buses to be delivered in the next 12 months.”

The current model Ebusco 2.2 is a fully electric city bus which is capable of over 350 kilometres on a single charge.

However, the new partnership between Ebusco and the Australian Bus Corporation will work to launch the Ebusco 3.0, the company’s next generation carbon fibre-based bus which will save over 4 tonnes in weight, feature a low flat floor, optional panoramic roof, and which will boast a range in excess of 500 kilometres on a single charge.

“The Ebusco 3.0 – a very innovative composite light weight e-bus – is a great opportunity to demonstrate how next generation electric vehicles can provide new transport solutions,” Pearce continued.

“Here in Australia we have the ideal location to demonstrate the potential of this very innovative technology. In growing cities it’s more and more important to embracing technology as it transitions from traditional industries into the environmentally friendly digital economy.”

The partnership will subsequently result in the Ebusco 2.2 and 3.0 being manufactured in Australia in what the companies are describing as a “purpose built high tech facility.”

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