Video: Ministers see Tranzit e-bus progress

Transport minister Michael Wood and climate change minister James Shaw checked out electric bus developments at Tranzit’s Rongotai depot in Wellington.

They were welcomed by transport and operations director Keven Snelgrove, Tranzit project manager James Howard and Tranzurban Wellington general manager Samuel Stairmand and toured the depot, seeing its 300kW charging capacity – enough to charge 10 electric buses simultaneously. At nearby Reef Street is Tranzit’s 450kW fast charger that can charge an electric double deck bus in 12-15 minutes.

The guests were also shown Tranzit’s “Repower Bus” converted to 100% electric from a diesel double decker – a Southern Hemisphere first, then had morning tea as part of Pink Shirt Day with Tranzit’s wider driving team.

Wood reiterated an earlier announcement with the Emissions Reduction Plan including transitioning bus fleets nationally to zero carbon emissions, adding “the work being done here at Tranzit is enormously impressive”.

Howard is a finalist in the New Zealand Energy Excellence Awards in Christchurch on June 29 and helped Tranzit develop a total charging network of 2820kW – hailed as the largest privately owned electric bus charger network in New Zealand.

Most recently, this includes the design and installation of charging infrastructure at Tranzit’s Grenada Depot, north of Wellington, the project due for full completion this month which includes 1080kW of charging – enough to charge 24 electric buses simultaneously.

In addition, the “lane design” configuration, which is akin to a fuel stop scenario, is the first of its kind in New Zealand.