Sydney adds 151 electric buses
The new battery-electric buses will be delivered by Australian manufacturers, including Custom Denning, based in Western Sydney. They will be deployed to the Leichhardt and Kingsgrove depots, both of which are being converted for electric operation. This follows an order for 319 battery-electric buses placed earlier this year. At the time, the NSW government stated that it did not expect to place another order until 2026 – a date that has apparently been brought forward.
The long-term Zero Emission Buses programme aims to replace all more than 8,000 diesel and gas buses in NSW with zero-emission vehicles by 2047. To support this, 11 existing depots are being upgraded for the transition to electric operation.
In addition, a new facility is being planned at Macquarie Park in Sydney’s north-west, designed to accommodate around 165 electric buses. Procurement is underway for a design and construction partner, with work expected to begin in late 2025 and conclude in 2027.
There are currently more than 220 battery-electric buses in operation across Greater Sydney and Newcastle, with the number projected to reach around 1,700 by 2028. Since March 2023, the NSW Government has procured 921 new buses as part of a staged programme to modernise the fleet and expand zero-emission public transport options.
The new order also surpasses the government’s target of 50 per cent local manufacturing content, ensuring that the majority of the buses are produced in Australia. The move is designed to support domestic industry while accelerating the rollout of electric vehicles in the state’s public transport system.
Transport Minister John Graham said the expansion represented a significant step in the state’s public transport strategy. “This latest investment in new buses has us on an express route to 1,000 new buses since Labor came to government,” he said. “The build-up of zero-emission buses is happening in a staged and sustainable way, with the obvious benefits for the environment and air quality complemented by enhanced passenger comfort levels on these quieter, smoother buses.”
0 Comments