AT urged to speed up e-bus transition

Auckland Transport (AT) needs to be more ambitious in its transition to electric buses, Sustainable Business Network chief executive officer Rachel Brown says.

“With the urgent need for reductions in carbon emissions, now is the time for greater ambition. We would like AT to have stronger alignment with their suppliers and their mission to reduce carbon and to see an earlier start to the transition than 2025,” she told Stuff.

Two electric buses have been funded by the government’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) and AT as part of a trial, with EECA providing $500,000 to support the purchase of two e-buses and two chargers.

Auckland mayor Phil Goff signed up to the C40 fossil fuel-free street movement in 2017 and pledged for only zero-emission buses from 2025.

“Not only would earlier replacement of the diesel fleet help cut carbon, it would also cut down on the dangerous particulate emissions which affect the health of our most vulnerable people, especially in the central city,” Brown told Stuff.

AT has committed to a future with electric buses and lower-emission vehicles.

“These (trial) buses will help us accurately estimate whether electric buses meet the needs of our customers, what routes they can operate on and, of course, whether they’re commercially viable,” says AT chief executive Shane Ellison.

AT plans to introduce 11 electric buses for the CityLink service and up to three hydrogen fuel cell trial e-buses from November 2020.

The two trial e-buses have reportedly received positive feedback from both customers and drivers, noting the reduced noise levels compared to diesel buses.