Auckland Transport introduces 44 new electric buses

Auckland Transport (AT) has launched a new fleet of 44 electric buses on Sunday. The new bus fleet includes 26 double-deckers and will run every ten minutes on AT’s WX1 Western Express frequent service.

With the new electric bus fleet, Auckland Transport intends to replace older diesel buses on the 11T, 11W and 12 routes, as well as serving the WX1 Western Express frequent service from Westgate to the city centre via the Lincoln and Te Atatū bus interchanges.

Henderson-Massey Local Board member Dan Collins emphasised the need for expanding emissions-free transport options: “We wouldn’t be getting double-deckers if there weren’t enough people to go on them, and it shows that west Aucklanders have really embraced the WX1 service. And you can charge your phone on them too.” The WX1 service line was replaced with double-decker electric buses last year, following a $166 million investment.

The City of Auckland is currently investing in the electrification of its bus system, which will see the ban of new internal combustion engine powered buses by 2030, as AT’s Infrastructure and Fleet Specification Manager, Edward Wright, says: “One of our key targets is that by 2030, we want all buses coming into the city centre to be electric. We’re adding another 31 electric buses to our fleet by the end of June. By August next year, we will have a fleet of 450 electric buses, which is around a third of the 1350 buses that operates AT’s services. Longer term, we have plans in place for Auckland’s bus fleet to be fully electric by 2035.” The public transport operator had launched its first electric buses back in 2020.

Auckland Transport’s Head of Public Transport Services and Planning Development, Pete Moth, further added that the service is also being expanded to reach more customers: “We have replaced the old 120 service with the Frequent 12 service. This new route links Greenhithe and Constellation Station on the North Shore, and unlike the old service, it will run along the motorway instead of residential roads – meaning faster journeys for most users. This will bring around 40 percent of west Aucklanders within walking distance of a turn-up-and-go bus or train service.”

linkedin.com, at.govt.nz