While the bus and coach industry continues to welcome everything to do with zero-emissions vehicles, the infrastructure required to make the change has become even more important
Upon looking at the majority of great historical moments throughout a variety of industries, there’s one factor that is ever-present.
Change.
Whether it be the printing press or the invention of the internet, all landmark events have been precipitated by the uncomfortable notion of altering ideas, beliefs or approaches. The Australian bus and coach industry’s current transition towards zero-emissions vehicles is no different – who would’ve thought 20 years ago manufacturers would be concerned with how to best transition fleets to battery electric buses or hydrogen fuel-cell coaches?
Yet now the change is here and the bus and coach sector is in the midst of the biggest movement in its Australian history.
While vehicle technology continues to evolve, there’s one part of the zero-emissions transition that will be crucial to our country successfully switching power sources in the coming years – infrastructure.
This edition of ABC delves into the current state of play in the zero-emissions infrastructure space. One thing that’s been made clear is that it’s a wide open field consisting of charger OEMs, technology solutions providers and trusted partners who can help guide depots into the new age of vehicle technology.
Leading the way in this space is the company that graces our cover for July. Lion Energy has redefined its approach to new age fuels in recent years, evolving from its oil and gas roots to make a bold bid on hydrogen generation.
We were lucky to speak to Lion on page 18 to discuss its plans to open its first hydrogen hub at the Port of Brisbane and roll out a revolutionary distribution system that will enable Brisbane’s hydrogen bus and coach fleets to flourish. It’s a fascinating concept that up until only a few years ago seemed more akin to sci-fi movies.
Before this exciting future takes hold, we thought it was best to investigate the current state of zero-emissions infrastructure in Australia. Our feature, starting on page 23, looks into the myriad of reasons why the zero-emissions transition is lagging behind.
One of the many players doing its bit to try and make zero-emissions infrastructure easier to access and maintain is JET Charge. From page 27, we spoke with the growing start-up about how it has refined its focus to best exert its increasing knowledge on the local bus and coach market.
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While companies like JET Charge continue to hone their expertise, manufacturers like Nexport are expanding their offerings by opening new divisions such as GoZero that will give operators a dedicated partner to guide them through the transition to cleaner power, as seen on page 35. ARCC is another manufacturer heightening its zero-emissions focus, with the brand now releasing its electric bus model this month on page 38 to supplement its hydrogen vehicle.
ABC July also welcomes Webfleet on page 31, who shared its insights into another transition – this one from the 3G network to 4G – and what operators need to consider before this starts to take effect.
In terms of other industry news, VDI Australia gave us the lowdown on its recent trip to the amazing Yutong factory in Zhengzhou, China, while StyleRide has welcomed a new appointment that is already embracing the community-minded ethos of the local seating manufacturer.
If you take one thing away from this edition of ABC, we hope you understand the hard work being done in the zero-emissions infrastructure space to make electric and hydrogen bus dreams a feasible reality.
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