Electric bus air conditioning has advanced rapidly in the past few years, but Peter Mercer says the technology story is only half the picture. For Spheros’ technical sales manager, the real pressure point for operators is finding long-term, consistent support in a sector where skilled technicians are increasingly scarce.
After years “on the tools” before moving into sales, he knows the strain firsthand.
“Honestly, the biggest thing is support,” Mercer told ABC.
“Industry-wide, it’s struggling. Everybody is struggling to get the work done.
“You need to find the right technical people with the knowledge to sort it out. Higher-level technicians are very scarce on the ground.”
He says that “while customers can select any brand of air conditioner to install on a new bus”, the real test comes years later.
“With some units currently on the market, there is a risk that spare parts will be difficult to obtain once production ceases or the supply contract expires,” he says.
That scarcity is shaping Spheros’ strategy in Australia. While the company is known globally for its electric bus air conditioning systems, Mercer says Spheros has deliberately expanded its local presence to ensure operators are never left without help. The company has established a new service department in Sydney and is building in-house capability rather than relying solely on third-party agents.
“We’re taking the steps to actually take the personal Spheros leap into the service world,” he says.
“We’re a relatively small team, but by focusing solely on Spheros products, we’re making sure we’re not spreading ourselves too thin.”
Mercer and technicians travel statewide, and interstate when needed, stepping in for issues that “you can’t solve over a phone call”.
Training also plays a major part in Spheros’ support model once vehicles leave warranty. Mercer says customer technicians are encouraged to take over servicing when appropriate, backed by systems designed for simplicity.
“Our units are quite simple overall. They do the job they’re intended to do,” he says.
Fault codes can be read directly from the unit’s control display and, in some cases, from the chassis instrument cluster or telematics when connected to CAN.
Parts availability is another area where Mercer feels operators need more confidence as the national fleet electrifies. Spheros stocks parts across Australia to minimise downtime.
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“It’s a high priority to have spare parts readily available. We can generally get parts anywhere within Australia, overnight between Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne,” he says.
The company’s electric bus air conditioning units are engineered for both performance and maintainability. The latest REVO-E global generation uses a single refrigeration circuit to reduce complexity, with premium brushless fans, accessible components and an upgraded electric compressor.
“It’s easier to work on. Even something like changing a dryer doesn’t need welding,” Mercer says.
Long-term parts support, Mercer says, is where operators need to be particularly vigilant. Because Spheros engineers and manufactures its own units globally, components remain available well after a model’s lifecycle ends.
Unlike others in the market, where there is no direct link between the retailer in Australia and the factory producing the AC systems, Spheros owns its factories internationally, engineers and produces its units worldwide. This shows that Spheros is fully committed to the bus and coach air conditioning market in Australia now and into the future.
With major metropolitan electrification programs gathering pace, Mercer sees the next decade as a turning point, one where reliable support will matter as much as technology.
“Depots need to understand what an actual electric air conditioner is. They operate differently from diesel systems. They need to be treated with the respect that comes with an electric machine,” he says.
For Mercer, that’s the heart of the shift ahead: not just newer systems, but stronger support wrapped around them.
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