Australia’s first locally built electric articulated bus unveiled in Perth
The new model is based on Volvo’s low-floor BZL Electric articulated chassis and is bodied by Australian manufacturer Volgren at its Malaga facility near Perth. According to Volvo Buses, the vehicle has been developed specifically for the Australian market and to meet the requirements of the Public Transport Authority (PTA) of Western Australia.
The articulated bus measures 18 metres in length and seats 57 passengers, while accommodating around 105 seated and standing passengers in total. Compared with a standard Transperth bus, which carries around 80 passengers, the articulated model offers significantly greater capacity for busy urban routes.
The electric driveline features Volvo’s dual-motor EPT802 system with two 200 kW motors. Energy is supplied by twelve LFP battery packs with a combined installed capacity of 497 kWh. The bus supports CCS2 charging and can be recharged in around four hours.
The launch builds on the rollout of the rigid Volvo BZL Electric in Australia, which entered service in 2022 when the PTA became the country’s first operator to deploy the model with Volgren Optimum bodies. More than 140 Volvo BZL Electric buses are now operating nationwide.
“This is a genuine ‘Australia first’, and the Volvo BZL Electric Articulated has been built right here in Perth,” said Mark Fryer, Director, Product & Industry at Volvo Buses Asia Pacific. “It was developed with the Australian market in mind, and specifically to meet the needs of the PTA, an operator we have partnered with for more than a decade.”
He added: “Bringing a brand-new electric platform to market, locally bodied and tailored to the needs of the Perth transit network, is something we are incredibly proud of.”
The PTA has worked with Volvo Buses for more than ten years and has taken delivery of more than 1,400 Volvo buses during that time. The introduction of the articulated electric model marks the latest stage in the partnership.
Western Australia’s electric bus fleet continues to expand. More than 150 battery-electric buses are now in service across the Transperth network, with around eleven additional vehicles entering operation each month. Diesel and compressed natural gas buses will be phased out as they reach the end of their service life.
The transition is supported by a A$250 million programme jointly funded by the Australian and Western Australian governments to deliver an initial fleet of 130 electric buses alongside charging infrastructure and depot upgrades. Charging infrastructure has already been installed at the Malaga depot and Elizabeth Quay Bus Station, while work continues at the new Bayswater electric bus depot and at the Karrinyup and Jandakot depots.
“We’re proud to be leading the nation with the roll out of our first locally made electric ‘bendy’ buses – made right here in WA,” Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said. “These two new buses build on our growing electric bus fleet, with 11 new electric buses entering service each month,” she added. “The transition to locally made electric buses is keeping our economy strong while delivering a greener, cleaner public transport network for the future.”
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