More than 170 electric buses to roll out across NZ’s largest city over next 9 months

More than 170 electric buses are set to roll out across New Zealand’s largest city over the next 9 months, operating out of six new electric bus depots located across the West and South of the city.

British renewable energy company Zenobē announced late last week that it was partnering with New Zealand transport operator Ritchies to deliver one of the country’s largest ever electric bus rollouts.

Zenobē, which has its hands in several pies – including standalone and portable battery storage and end-to-end fleet electrification – will design, build, and deliver six new electric bus depots, with the first going live over the weekend just gone.

The new all-electric depot, one of two which were just opened in the suburb of Māngere on the northeastern shore of the Manukau Harbour, features smart-charging technology that delivers the necessary power for each bus while putting the least strain on the public grid.

“These depots bring together our newest electric fleet and next generation charging and safety systems,” said Michele Kernahan, CEO of Ritchies Transport.

“Every electric depot we build is pre-wired for future expansion, allowing us to scale up quickly as Auckland grows. We’re proud to work alongside AT to deliver cleaner transport and smarter infrastructure for the growing communities of South Auckland.”

All six Zenobē-delivered bus depots are expected to be completed by August 2026.

Zenobē will also be providing Ritchies with its Battery as a Service (BaaS) solution for the 172 new electric buses being deployed across Auckland, which will see Zenobē finance and manage the entire lifecycle of the batteries used in each bus.

The media release did not make clear who will be supplying the buses. The Driven has reached out to both Zenobē and Ritchies for further clarification.

“This is a defining moment for New Zealand’s clean transport journey,” said Gareth Ridge, Zenobē country director for Australia and New Zealand.

“Through this partnership with Ritchies, we’re not only deploying one of the country’s largest electric bus fleets but also investing in local capability and infrastructure to ensure this transition is successful, scalable, and lasting.

In February, Ritchies was awarded the country’s largest ever tendered bus services contract, a nine-year, $NZ1.068 billion contract to deliver expanded operations in west and South Auckland. As part of the tender, Ritchies committed to add 175 new electric buses to its network.