Kinetic has unveiled new electrification and infrastructure upgrades at its Sunshine West and Heatherton depots in Melbourne, under its partnership with the Victorian Government to deliver cleaner, greener and a more reliable bus network.
The infrastructure milestone is part of Kinetic’s partnership with the Victorian Government to introduce 36 battery electric buses (BEBs) to Melbourne by mid-2025, with an average of one new BEB joining the network each month.
Kinetic’s Co CEO Michael Sewards joined Victoria’s Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll to showcase the refurbished Sunshine West depot.
The Sunshine West upgrades include new undercover bays to provide weather protection and charging infrastructure for the BEBs. More than 300 solar panels have also been installed to reduce the depot’s carbon footprint and electricity to power the buses is 100 per cent green via a carbon offset program.
At Heatherton, electrical infrastructure upgrades have been completed and undercover bays and 84 solar panels installed. Twelve charging dispensers have also been installed to power the electric buses operating from the depot.
Kinetic operates a third of Melbourne’s public bus network after it was selected by the Victorian government to operate the $2.3 billion Metropolitan Bus Franchise in 2021. Kinetic’s commitment to introducing a zero and low emissions bus network includes replacing 163 diesel buses with 36 BEBs and 127 hybrid buses by mid-2025.
The growing fleet of nine electric buses already operating out of the Sunshine West and Heatherton depots support 16 metropolitan routes and have saved more than 216 tonnes of CO2 emissions over more than 200,000 collective kilometres travelled.
This data and further learnings from the initial deployment of BEBs by Kinetic will supplement the findings of the Victorian Government’s $20 million Zero Emissions Bus (ZEB) trial. The three-year ZEB trial will inform the transition of around 4,000 diesel buses in the State’s public fleet, including around 2,200 in regional Victoria, to zero emissions. From 2025, all new buses on Victoria’s public transport routes will be zero emissions.
Kinetic is targeting 100 per cent zero emissions vehicles across its fleet by 2035 and partners with governments across Australia and New Zealand to help meet their own local, state and federal emissions reduction targets.
Creating a greener fleet is part of Victoria’s Bus Plan to develop a modern and reliable network that attracts more passengers, with the new, greener buses critical to the Victorian Government’s goal of net zero emissions by 2045.
Kinetic Co-CEO Michael Sewards said, “These infrastructure and electrification improvements are an important milestone in our pathway to deliver 36 battery electric buses to the city’s public transit fleet in partnership with the Victorian Government – and we are proud to deliver them in our first year of operating the Metropolitan Bus Franchise.
“The Sunshine West and Heatherton depots are an investment in a safe, reliable, and sustainable network that will encourage more Victorians to get out of their cars and onto our buses, which is ultimately better for local communities and the environment.”
Victoria’s Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll said, “Tackling emissions in the bus industry is critical to Victoria meeting its new commitment of net zero emissions by 2045.
“We’re investing in greener technologies, supporting local manufacturing to transform our State’s transport system. Furthermore, we are providing Victorians with quieter and more comfortable journeys as we reduce pollution and remove diesel buses from our public network.”
Kinetic operates Australasia’s most extensive bus network, with 5,000 buses and 92 depots operating across the region.
It is the largest operator of BEBs in Australia and New Zealand, and is expected to have 300 operational electric buses this year.
