Gold Coast school goes green with Bus Stop Sales

Hillcrest Christian College is leading the charge in sustainable student transport with the introduction of an all-electric King Long coach.

The King Long EVolution 12.5m electric coach, supplied by Bus Stop Sales, marks not only a significant switch to electric, but a strong commitment to sustainability.

“For Hillcrest, this wasn’t a tick-the-box exercise,” Bus Stop Sales director Pete White told ABC.

“They had a vision to align their transport operations with the values they teach in the classroom. To demonstrate leadership, innovation, and to highlight that sustainability was everyone’s responsibility.”

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King Long is no newcomer to zero-emission innovation. The global manufacturer launched one of the world’s first hybrid-energy coaches in 2001 and has since grown into one of the largest battery-electric bus producers globally.

The EVolution coach delivered to Hillcrest draws on decades of real-world operational experience, tailored to meet the specific needs of Australian operators.

“At its core, the coach features the King Long e-Drive system, an integrated high-performance drivetrain explicitly developed by the company for efficiency and reliability.”

Operational data captured through King Long’s standard telematics and additional monitoring technology revealed an impressive average energy consumption of just 0.85 kWh/km under normal school operations.

Hillcrest uses the electric bus for morning and afternoon service and their intercampus shuttles during the day. The trip is eighty kilometres round trip, and it travels on both highways and in cities.

“This strong efficiency results not only in underlining the EVolution’s components are market leading but directly contributes to lower running costs, delivering both environmental and financial benefits for the College,” White says.

The King Long EVolution coach’s electric powertrain offers significant advantages for both operators and the environment.

The electric motor also runs much more quietly than traditional diesel engines and without vibration, contributing to a more pleasant experience for passengers.

“Electric coaches also have fewer moving parts than internal combustion vehicles, which can translate to lower maintenance costs and improved reliability,” White says.

For Hillcrest, the move to zero-emission transport wasn’t just a practical decision but a statement of values.

The College wanted to demonstrate to its pupils that environmental stewardship and social responsibility are not just classroom concepts, but real actions that shape the world around them.

The adoption of the King Long EVolution also created an opportunity to showcase how the school’s extensive rooftop solar system, which generates its own renewable energy, could be integrated into fleet operations, effectively using solar-generated kilowatt-hours (kWh) to power student transport.

Hillcrest partnered with Bus Stop Sales to supply and operate a KEMPOWER DC charging system, backed by high-quality three-phase power upgrades.

“What sets this deployment apart is not just the technology, but the end-to-end support behind it,” White says.

Bus Stop Sales provided comprehensive commissioning and training and continues to offer ongoing after-sales support to ensure a seamless operation for Hillcrest’s operations team. This reinforces a proper partnership approach rather than a traditional supplier-customer relationship.

As schools, councils, and fleet operators across Australia plan their zero-emission journeys, the success of Hillcrest Christian College’s transition offers a clear blueprint: proven technology, local support, and a collaborative delivery model are critical to real-world success.

With the King Long EVolution already exceeding expectations in the field, it’s a clear signal that Australia’s transition to cleaner, more intelligent transport solutions is well underway.