Australia, a new order for 151 electric buses in Sydney (where 1,700 e-buses will be operational by 2028)

The Government of New South Wales, in Australia, has announced the purchase of 151 additional battery-electric buses for Sydney, as part of its Zero Emission Buses program.

The new order will bring the number of buses procured since the March 2023 state election to 921. According to the Government, the vehicles will be built by Australian manufacturers, including Custom Denning in St Marys, Western Sydney, with more than 50% local manufacturing content.

NSW orders electric buses

Deployment of the new buses is planned for the Leichhardt and Kingsgrove depots, both currently being converted to support zero-emission fleets. In parallel, eleven existing depots across Sydney are undergoing conversion, while a new electric bus depot is under construction in Macquarie Park, outcome of a $115 million investment that will transform a former factory site into a state-of-the-art depot for 165 electric buses.

The Zero Emission Buses program targets the replacement of more than 8,000 diesel and gas buses across the state, within a plan announced as early as 2019. At present, still according to the government’ press note, over 220 electric buses are in operation in Greater Sydney, including three in Newcastle. The Government forecasts that approximately 1,700 battery-electric buses will be in service in Sydney by 2028.

The announcement also included an update on staffing levels. The shortage of bus drivers, which exceeded 500 vacancies under the previous government, has been reduced by 375 positions. As of last week, the number of vacancies stood at 125.

Minister for Transport John Graham said: “This latest investment in new buses has us on an express route to 1000 new buses since Labor came to government. 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. Getting more buses on the road in a timely manner is our approach which is in stark contrast to the former government which did not buy a single articulated bus in 12 years and half their first purchase of electric buses were wholly made overseas.”