Yellow electric three-axle bus being trialled in Auckland

A six-wheeled electric bus in Mercury livery joined Auckland Transport’s fleet for an evaluation on various services and has started on route 866 from Albany to Newmarket, permitted by relaxed COVID restrictions.

The 12.6m-long vehicle has three axles which allows it to qualify for lower road user charges (RUC) thanks to lower axle loads, can carry up to 75 passengers (37 seated), has two wheelchair spaces (reached via a front door ramp) and 320km range from its 348kWh battery.

The e-bus is supplied by Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) which has electric buses in New Zealand that have already completed more than one million zero emission kilometres in service.

This bus will support New Zealand’s transition to a decarbonised bus fleet by 2035 and Auckland Transport says anecdotal feedback from e-bus drivers has been great as they enjoy the quiet ride and responsiveness while navigating Auckland’s Busway and city centre streets.

“This is a great way to help Aucklanders to kiss oil goodbye,” Mercury energy futures manager Buddhika Rajapakse says, with Mercury supporting the trials.

“By running on 80% renewable electricity and counting, electric buses will provide Aucklanders with more choice in low emissions transport,” he explains.

“If New Zealand is to take timely action to decarbonise its transport system, we cannot rely on the electrification of private vehicles alone. We must also shift our mindset towards reducing or avoiding travel, active modes such as walking and cycling, and of course public transport.”

The three-axle e-bus is charged up for about 4.5 hours to full on AC charging at the bus operator depot in Albany.

Reduced costs in fleet maintenance are expected over time with the e-buses, although Auckland Transport says some of the savings are offset by higher insurance premiums due to the higher value of assets.

A key area this trial will focus on is the assessment of tyre wear, which has been claimed by some industry observers to be higher for heavy EVs due to the weight of batteries.

The trial will enable better understanding of the operational performance of large three-axle EV buses from another supplier with different design and specification to what AT is already operating, AT Metro decarbonisation manager Darek Koper says.

The trial is aimed at building operator confidence in the new technology to increase an uptake of electric buses, he explains.

“The accelerated transition to zero emission buses will be supported through enhancing the e-bus supply chain options for the New Zealand market and better understanding of all costs and funding requirements.”

Various other e-bus trials are being held in key New Zealand cities like Dunedin, while Auckland Transport has various other e-bus services operating, including on its CityLink after launching the electric bus service on Waiheke Island, with plans for many more.