Image Credit: Auckland Transport
Auckland Transport has unveiled a new fleet of 44 electric buses, including 26 double-deckers, as it grows its electric fleet to more than 200 and aims to dump all its diesel bus fleet within a decade.
The new battery electric buses were launched on Sunday and will be running every ten minutes on Auckland Transport’s (AT’s) WX1 Western Express frequent service from Westgate to the city centre. They will replace diesel buses on multiple routes.
The new additions bring the total number of electric buses operating in Auckland to 224, reportedly more than any other city in Australasia.
According to Edward Wright, AT’s infrastructure and fleet specification manager, another 31 electric buses will be added to the fleet by the end of June, and by August 2026, the total number of electric buses operating in Auckland will rise to 450.
“Longer term, we have plans in place for Auckland’s bus fleet to be fully electric by 2035,” Wright added.
The 44 new electric buses include 26 double-deckers that were designed by Tranzit Group and built on a chassis from Chinese state-owned manufacturer CRRC and fitted with a body built in Malaysia by bus body and assembly firm Gemilang.
Each of the buses are powered by 508kW batteries from CATL, delivering over 300 kilometres of range on a single charge, and have a capacity to seat 83 passengers with 17 standing.
The 18 remaining electric buses are a single deck design with the same capacity CATL batteries and therefore boast electric range of over 360 kilometres. Each bus can seat 37 seated and 38 standing.
Both double-decker and single-deck buses also have the ability to charge passenger’s mobile phones thanks to USB ports or wireless pads.
“Based on Tranzit Group’s experiences in delivering urban passenger services in electric buses across Aotearoa New Zealand, passengers notice how much quieter and smoother their bus journey is, and our drivers enjoy driving them,” said Catherine Jones, general manager for Tranzurban.
“With less noise and air pollution there’s also a benefit to the communities and businesses where this fleet operates.”
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Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.
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