A new electric bus will give residents of Canberra the chance to take a zero-emissions trip around the nation’s capital, with the vehicle recently added to the Transport Canberra fleet.
Investing in electric public buses is another step in the ACT Government’s long-term vision to have a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly city for future Canberrans.
In 2020, the ACT will be the first jurisdiction outside of Europe to achieve 100 per cent renewable electricity. As the climate change capital of Australia, the next goal is to achieve net-zero emissions for the ACT by 2045.
As it invests in these new, sustainable technologies, the ACT Government will also provide the right training and support to its workforce to enable them to transition their skills and expertise.
The ACT’s Minister for Transport, Chris Steel, said transport, including private and public transport, makes up over 60 per cent of the ACT’s emissions, and the state needs to transition to a zero-emission bus fleet by 2040.
“The government is committed to transitioning our public transport fleet to zero emissions, reducing air pollution and providing a reliable and comfortable service for users,” Mr Steel said.
“This electric bus will provide us with valuable operation information to guide the preparation of a transition plan for zero-emission bus fleet and prepare for the purchase of more electric buses at scale.
“This is a more modern electric bus than those previously trialled in 2017 and has already proved successful in other jurisdictions.”
The new Yutong Electric E12 bus will be based at the Tuggeranong Depot for charging, but will operate all over Canberra. It is estimated that the bus will be able to travel up to 400kms before requiring a recharge.
Currently the bus can carry 57 people, however it can be configured to meet Transport Canberra’s operational requirements in terms of range, charging time and increased passenger capacity.
The government has started work on a Zero-Emission Transition Plan, which will provide a roadmap to make the switch from diesel buses to a zero-emission fleet.
“The plan we are developing will ensure that we have the required infrastructure, investment and skills to scale up our zero-emissions bus fleet,” Mr Steel said.
