Australasian bus and coach operator Kinetic has announced that it has proudly opened its latest electric bus depot in New Zealand.
The new depot was officially opened in West Auckland, with 43 new zero-emissions buses added to the city’s bus network in partnership with Auckland Transport.
The New Lynn depot has the latest technology to reduce burden on the grid and will help to improve Auckland’s zero-emissions bus fleet.
The milestone follows the recent opening of Kinetic’s first fully electric depot in East Auckland that’s now home to 35 electric buses.
As part of the depot upgrade in West Auckland, 26 chargers that are capable of charging two buses each simultaneously have been installed to charge the fleet overnight.
By April next year, Kinetic expects 86 zero-emissions buses to be operating from the depot, making it the nation’s largest all-electric bus operation.
These ZEBs are among 152 electric buses Kinetic is delivering in partnership with Auckland Transport to accelerate the decarbonisation of the city’s urban bus network.
Head of Kinetic in NZ Calum Haslop says Kinetic is fully committed to reducing the environmental impact of bus operations.
“Auckland is casting a light on a path that progressive cities can follow as we accelerate the adoption of transport technologies and improve the resource efficiency of our bus operations,” Haslop says.
“This new technology manages when and how much each bus is charged, which is very important for load management on the Vector network and using off-peak energy prices.
“Auckland now has one of the most expansive electric bus fleets in NZ, and we’re excited to be in the front seat and on the front line driving this transformation on a grand scale.”
AT’s Executive General Manager of Public Transport Services Stacey van der Putten says this is another significant step forward in implementing the Low Emission Bus Roadmap to decarbonise Auckland’s public transport.
“It aligns with the government’s 2035 mandate for the full decarbonisation of urban buses in New Zealand,” she says.
“It’s been exciting to witness the transition to electric buses recently and we know our customers are enjoying the cleaner, quieter travel. Auckland Transport is creating an efficient and sustainable transport network that helps Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland become a truly liveable city and region.”