The rise of the electric bus
A look at the progress of decarbonising Aotearoa's bus fleet
In the last 6 years, we have seen more electric buses on our streets in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Having more electric buses taking us from A to B is great as we need to transition from a diesel to an electric bus fleet to decarbonise our transport network and reduce the operational emissions of our network. We also need to move to an electric bus fleet to reduce air and noise pollution, as frequent exposure to pollutants like PM10 and nitrogen oxide (NO2) from diesel fuel exhaust and noise pollution could lead to people developing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
So, top up your smart card and tag on, as we’re going on a trip around the country and look at the progress of the decarbonisation of our bus fleet.
We start the trip in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland where electric buses started being introduced to their streets in 2018, with 2 electric buses on the City Link as part of a trial with the route going fully electric in 2021, adding 12 more electric buses. 8 electric buses were added to run routes on Waiheke Island in 2020.
Electric buses consistently added to the bus fleet throughout 2021 to 2023 with the Airport Link which went live in 2021, running on 9 electric buses. A trial of a hydrogen-fuel electric bus started in 2021. In late 2022, 35 electric buses were introduced to run on routes in the Eastern Bays area. Last year, 43 electric buses were introduced in West Auckland, with the 24 now fully electric. 2 electric bus depots opened last year in Panmure and New Lynn.
Honorable mentions are the Mahu City Express is a privately operated peak hour express from Warkworth and Swells Beach to the city centre which runs on an electric coach bus and Aotearoa’s first fully electric bus runs on a bus service exclusive to Auckland University of Technology (AUT) students.
As of February 2024, there are 133 electric buses in the Auckland Transport fleet, with the city having the largest electric bus fleet in Aotearoa. More buses will be added to the fleet this year, including the city’s first electric double-decker bus. For more, I recommend reading this article from Grady Connell of NZ Transit Buzz who was at the launch of the New Lynn depot and did a Q&A about the electric buses fleet in Tāmaki Makaurau with Auckland Transport staff.
Our next destination is Tauranga Moana, where 5 electric buses were added to the fleet in 2019. An electric coach was added to the fleet of Tauranga-based tourist operator Shore Trips and Tours. We head down to Taupō, which introduced Waikato’s first electric bus in December 2023.
We head down to Papaioea Palmerston North, where in April they will go from one electric bus on their network to 43 electric buses. Alongside the new fleet, the city’s new bus network will be introduced in March, the new network will see several new frequent lines (running every 15 minutes during peak times), new routes, upgrades to bus stops and extended operating hours, It’s great to see Horizons Regional Council deliver these improvements to Papaioea’s bus network and hope these improvements will pay off.
We hop on The Capital Connection to Te Whanganui - a - Tara Wellington. Which historically had a partly electrified bus fleet with the trolleybuses which ran from 1949 to 2017. Following the decommissioning of the trolleybus network, a prototype of one decommissioned trolleybus was converted with an electric bus battery as a trial.
10 electric double-decker buses were introduced in 2018 as part of Te Whanganui - a - Tara’s new bus network. By December 2022, there were 94 electric buses on the city’s network with the 2 and Airport Express routes running only on electric buses. Operator Tranzit converted a diesel bus to electric as part of a trial in 2022. 9 new electric buses were added in 2023.
The electrified bus fleet has resulted in a reduction in air pollution along The Golden Mile, with diesel particulate air pollution reduced by 28% and NO2 by 18%. In September 2023, Greater Wellington Regional Council received funding from Waka Kotahi for an electric bus depot.
We jump on The Interislander to Te Waipounamu South Island, where our first stop is Whakatū Nelson where 17 electric buses were introduced in August 2023 to service the new bus network for Whakatū and Te Tai o Aorere Tasman District.
The new network known as eBus, saw routes 1 and 2 running from Nelson to Richmond every 30 minutes between 7 am and 7 pm, creating a 15-minute frequent corridor between Stoke and Richmond. New routes were introduced to Motueka, Wakefield and Nelson Airport. The new bus network has been successful, with patronage has increased by 68% in its first month compared to the monthly average of the last 7 months of the previous bus network.
Our next destination is Ōtautahi Christchurch. Historically, the city was home to Aotearoa’s first electric bus, as three hybrid electric buses were introduced on a city centre circular route called The Shuffle. The route went live in 1998 and ran till the February 2011 earthquake. Following the earthquakes, the hybrid electric buses were taken out of service.
Electric buses returned to Ōtautahi in 2019 with 3 electric buses introduced to run on the 29. In 2021, 25 electric buses were added to the fleet running on routes on Go Bus-operated routes. 16 electric buses were added in 2022 by Go Bus and by the end of 2022, 20% of Ōtautahi’s bus fleet was electric. In 2024, Go Bus will add 10 electric buses will be to the city’s fleet.
We tag off at Ōtepoti Dunedin, where the city’s first electric buses will hit the streets this month with 11 buses added to run on routes serving Pine Hill, Opoho, Shiel Hill, Calton Hill and a semi-circular route known as The Ridge Runner. The order came following a successful trial of an electric bus in 2021. Ōtepoti’s electric bus fleet will double in 2025 with a further 11 buses to run on routes serving Mosgiel, Green Island, Brighton and Abbotsford.
Areas where electric buses will be introduced in 2024:
Waipā District: 6 electric buses are to be introduced on routes from Kirikiriroa Hamilton to Kemureti Cambridge and Te Awamutu later this year.
Taranaki: Taranaki’s first electric bus is to be introduced this year.
Plans to introduce the electric buses over the next few years:
Tāhuna Queenstown: Otago Regional Council will be introducing electric buses to Tāhuna’s bus network over the next 4 years.
It’s great to see the progress that happened so far in decarbonising our bus fleet, especially over the last 4 years with the gains being made in reducing emissions, cleaner air and a quieter journey.
There is still a long road to go, but as long as the areas mentioned in this article consistently continue introducing electric buses to their networks. And for those not mentioned start making plans to introduce them with the support from operators, councils and central government through funding (Eg: EECA’s Low Emission Transport Fund) and frameworks like The Sustainable Public Transport Framework which will replace the Public Transport Operating Model, will assist and incentivise councils to implement a carbon- natural fleet. It will help us achieve our emission and air pollution reduction targets so we can have a sustainable future.