Leading bus operator, Kinetic Group Ltd, is helping Auckland Transport (AT) power ahead with its plans to decarbonise urban buses after unveiling New Zealand’s first fully electric bus depot in Panmure, East Auckland.
The NZ Bus depot has the latest technology to reduce burden on the grid and improve the environmental impact of Auckland’s battery electric bus (BEB) fleet, without putting Auckland’s energy supply at risk.
The depot is home to 35 electric buses, with each one charged overnight, via its own individual direct current charger. They are part of a total order of 152 BEBs that were agreed between AT and Kinetic’s NZ Bus in November 2021.
The Panmure site marks Kinetic’s fifth electric bus depot in New Zealand and its second fully dedicated electric bus depot across Australasia after unveiling an all-electric bus depot powered by 100 per cent renewable energy at Currumbin on Queensland’s Gold Coast in 2022.
AT’s Interim Chief Executive Mark Lambert says this is a significant step forward in implementing the Low Emission Bus Roadmap to decarbonise Auckland’s public transport.
“It aligns with the Government’s 2035 mandate for the full decarbonisation of urban buses in New Zealand.
“These buses are the first tranche of electric buses, with more coming over the next two years. It’s been exciting to witness the transition to electric buses recently and we know our customers are enjoying the cleaner, quieter travel.
“This new technology manages when and how much each bus is charged – which is very important for load management on the Vector network and of course using off-peak energy prices.”
Calum Haslop, NZ Bus CEO and Head of Kinetic in NZ, says that it has been through the hard work of multiple parties that today’s launch has been made possible.
“Today’s unveiling of this all-electric depot has been the result of NZ Bus, Auckland Transport, Vector, CRRC, EVISI, DGE and WSP all working together.
“What we are now operating is a cutting-edge approach to the efficient supply of battery electric zero-emission buses for Auckland. Kinetic is proud to have built and be operating this depot, which is Australasia’s largest all-electric bus operation.”
In New Zealand, Kinetic owns Go Bus and NZ Bus, operating urban bus services across Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill, as well as school bus services nationally under contract with the Ministry of Education.
Through partnerships with leading councils, Kinetic is growing New Zealand’s greenest bus network with more than 150 zero emission buses on the road across its operations.
Kinetic Co-CEO Michael Sewards said Kinetic was committed to continued investment in converting depots and establishing infrastructure supporting New Zealand’s strategy to decarbonise public transport.
“We will continue partnering with local and federal governments to help meet their climate reduction targets, as well as our own to achieve 100 per cent net zero by 2035. Today is an exciting milestone in that journey and I congratulate everyone involved.”
