Despite being well known for its delivery of low-floor zero-emissions buses and coaches for public transport across Australia, Nexport has plenty more to offer the local market.
Heading into 2024, Nexport has a range of electric coach and mini-bus models that are set to take the Australian industry by storm.
“We have two coach variations and a new 7.5m low floor vehicle that meet a broad range of market requirements,” GoZero Sales Director Industrial Rod Pulbrook told ABC.
Nexport’s extended product suite starts with its coach variations. The 12.5m option is Nexport’s major player, with 57 seats as standard and options for a toilet and wheelchair lift. There’s not much that remains standard for this coach, as Nexport has devised a model that is flexible to any operator requirements.
“The 12.5m comes in a variety of seating configurations ranging from 57 seats down to 44 seats with wheelchair lifts and a toilet,” Pulbrook says.
“It can have school bench seats, fully seat-belted seats or recliners installed. These coach models also vary on battery size depending on the coach’s use.”
The latter feature is a massive point of difference for Nexport, who can supply batteries for coaches to travel up to 450km in a day, or smaller versions to suit daily ranges of around 320kms.
The batteries are installed in the floor, providing stability for drivers who Pulbrook says will notice that it feels very similar to driving a standard diesel bus. Nexport is in the midst of redesigning its prototype coach to introduce more luggage space.
The 10.5m version is only slightly different to its bigger brother, with the interior look and feel matching it despite having 44 seats as standard.
Both models feature the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) suite of safety features as standard that includes lane departure warnings, forward detection warnings, reversing cameras and driver fatigue alerts.
Outside of these electric coach models, the new 7.5m bus is ideal for on-demand transport as well as school, tourism and social transport. Coming in a low-floor, Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant version or in a mid-floor model that remains DDA compliant, the 25-to-27 seat bus can run for around 240kms on a single charge.
With tyre pressure monitoring and fire suppression as a Nexport standard, alongside the option for a driver screen, these models are proof of Nexport’s versatility.
“We’re also not just about buses,” GoZero Chief Commercial Officer John Featherstone told ABC.
“We’ve got a bus that suits any requirement, be it public or private transport. Through our GoZero solutions, we demystify the electrification journey for operators, supporting them from vehicle selection through to depot assessment, modification and to end-to-end project management.”
What to look forward to in 2024
In the year ahead, these new models will herald a variety of vehicles coming to market for Nexport. Whether it be these dynamic coaches or the nifty 7.5m option, Nexport is ready to ensure passengers around Australia have a peaceful, quiet and safe journey.
“We have some vehicle designs coming in the next year that we believe will be market leading,” Pulbrook says.
“There’ll be another generation of Nexport vehicles that will be even better than its predecessors. We’ll refresh our range, so stay tuned.”