E-buses for Waiheke Island

Auckland’s Waiheke Island will get new electric buses from mid-2020.

Plans for a fleet of e-buses there, starting with six and later adding five more, have been announced by Auckland Transport (AT) and Fullers360’s Waiheke Bus Company.

The new buses will be like those successfully trialled by AT since April 2018 on a number of city bus routes.

“We’re really excited and grateful that the Waiheke Bus Company has decided to make its new fleet of buses electric,” AT chief executive Shane Ellison says.

“Road transport is Auckland’s largest source of emissions, so this is a great step in tackling this.”

This initiative also demonstrates the new way of engagement between the Waiheke Local Board and AT, since the signing of a recent Memorandum of Understanding, says Ellison. “It’s great to be working with the local board and already delivering better outcomes for those on the island.”

Fullers360 chief executive officer Mike Horne also welcomes the news.

“With AT’s support, Fullers360 and Waiheke Bus Company are proud to lead a significant reduction in road emissions on Waiheke Island,” he says.

“As we revamp our fleet with new electric vehicles, the buses will continue to play an important role in connecting the Waiheke community to Matiatia Wharf and destinations across the island.”

EVtalk

publisher and Electric Island Waiheke spokesman Vern Whitehead says the e-bus announcement is “great news”.

“We’re absolutely thrilled.”

Whitehead says it’s a “huge turnaround” from AT planning earlier to put new “non-electric” buses on the island.  He says the latest move will demonstrate how practical EVs are for the island and that sufficient electricity is available there to run them.

“I also congratulate the local board which has been ceaseless in pushing for EVs.”

In 2017, the Auckland Council signed the C40 Fossil Fuel-Free-Streets Declaration at the “Together4Climate” event in Paris.

C40 Cities is a network of the world’s megacities committed to addressing climate change and the declaration commits Auckland to procuring only zero emission buses from 2025.

The news was announced after the successful Low Emission Bus forum on July 23, hosted by AT included contracted operators like Waiheke Bus Company, local and international bus builders, the NZ Transport Agency and the Ministry of Transport.

It discussed the opportunities and challenges in progressing the AT low emission bus roadmap.

While 2025 is the target for only zero emission buses to be bought, the forum talked about how AT can work with operators and bus manufacturers to speed up this process, while also looking at alternatives such as hydrogen fuel cell or interim solutions to improve air quality.

The Waiheke Local Board has a formal carbon neutral goal and is working with community group Electric Island Waiheke which aims to achieve an all-electric island by 2030.

Prior to introducing the e-buses in mid-2020, Waiheke Island will get a new bus network from October 13, 2019.

Visit AT.govt.nz/NewNetworkWaiheke for details.