Sydney’s Brookvale depot deploys 13 Kempower pantograph chargers for 229-bus electrification project

What is claimed as being Australia’s first pantograph-down charging facility for electric buses has entered operation at Brookvale Bus Depot in Sydney, using Kempower charging technology to support the transition of 229 diesel buses to battery-electric operation.

The project represents a major deployment of high-power charging infrastructure for public transport in Australia and has been developed through collaboration between depot operator Keolis Australia, charging specialist JET Charge, principal contractor Downer EDI Engineering, bus manufacturers Custom Denning, Yutong and Foton, and Transport for NSW.

In 2025 the same Finnish chargers provider has been commissioned charging infrastructure for a 132-units e-bus depot in Perth, Australia.

Brookvale depot with Kempower pantograph charging system

The Brookvale facility has been equipped with 13 Kempower 450 kW Power Units paired with 850 A pantograph-down chargers. The charging infrastructure is designed to support large-scale fleet operations while reducing the space requirements typically associated with plug-in charging systems.

According to Kempower, the installation enables automated charging operations and incorporates intelligent load distribution technology to optimise the use of available electrical capacity. The system is connected to a 5 MVA grid supply and of course has been designed to support vehicles from multiple bus manufacturers while meeting operational requirements for continuous charging availability.

The project addresses the electrification of a depot currently transitioning 229 diesel buses to battery-electric vehicles. The pantograph-down approach also reduces driver interaction during charging operations by automating the connection process.

Integration testing and energy management

A complete charging system was transported and installed at Custom Denning’s manufacturing facility ahead of deployment, allowing full integration testing of vehicles and infrastructure before installation at Brookvale.

The site also incorporates the CORE Max load management system, adapted with a dedicated I/O expander to monitor high-voltage protection devices and dynamically adjust charging loads in real time. The solution is intended to maximise available power while maintaining the protection of the depot’s electrical infrastructure.

The charging infrastructure has been designed to achieve 99.9% uptime through a combination of energy management systems, testing procedures, monitoring functions and maintenance support.

Supporting New South Wales’ zero-emission bus transition

Brookvale is now operating as a fully functional charging depot designed to support more than 200 zero-emission buses. The project forms part of Transport for NSW’s Zero Emission Bus Transition Plan and provides an operational model for future depot electrification projects across Australia.

“JET Charge working with Downer EDI has proven to be a world-class partnership, providing exceptional knowledge and capability to deliver a first-of-kind bus depot electrification conversion,” says Nick Carne, Director Energy Transition, at Keolis

“At JET Charge, we make the transition to electric straightforward. We remove complexity so our customers can act with confidence. We’ve delivered this at scale across the country by investing more than a decade in deep expertise across hardware, electrical, software, firmware and energy systems. That breadth of capability, combined with Kempower’s leading charging technology, has been critical to delivering a first-of-its-kind project like Brookvale,” comments Tim Washington, CEO, from JET Charge

“For Kempower, it is a privilege to have been selected as the DC fast-charging hardware supplier for this flagship project, supporting the efforts of Transport for NSW and Keolis in advancing the adoption of zero-emission buses in Australia, together with the combined capabilities of Kempower, Jet Charge and Downer,” says Dylan Perera, Business Development Manager, Fleets (APAC) at Kempower.