Australasian bus and coach operator has announced the internal appointment of Kayne Baas as the company’s new executive general manager of electrification.
Previously Kinetic’s procurement lead in New Zealand, Baas will oversee Kinetic’s zero-emissions program as the brand advances its decarbonisation efforts across both Australia and New Zealand.
Kinetic operates more than 300 electric buses across 10 depots in Australasia, with the strategic move of appointing Baas coming as Kinetic celebrates passing the 300 electric bus milestone.
Baas has more than 28 years of experience in the bus industry, including in electrification.
Baas says he’s excited to commence in his new role and lead Kinetic’s electrification efforts.
“I am excited to crack on with the task at hand, working closely with our leadership teams across Australia and New Zealand to achieve our goals and aspirations in transitioning our operations to zero emissions,” Baas says.
The appointment comes as Kinetic is targeting a 100 per cent zero-emissions bus fleet goal by 2035, starting with Kinetic introducing electric buses to its New Zealand fleet.
Kinetic now operates a growing fleet of more than 240 electric buses in partnership with leading councils in Christchurch, Auckland, Wellington and Tauranga.
In Australia, Kinetic has introduced electric buses in Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania, with the operator more than halfway through the introduction of 36 electric buses in Melbourne.
Just last month, the operator unveiled a newly upgraded depot in Far North Queensland, with Kinetic CEO Michael Sewards saying he’s delighted to recognise the leadership and expertise within the operator’s NZ team with the appointment.
“This is a pivotal and exciting moment for Kinetic as we accelerate our efforts towards a sustainable future – and Kayne is among the industry’s most knowledgeable leaders with a clear track record successfully transitioning bus networks,” Sewards says.
“We’ve got to prioritise the most effective technology while keeping service delivery and cost front of mind – and through our progress to date in Australasia and also in the UK, this is an area we’ve made a lot of mistakes but also developed significant experience and IP.”