Two new electric buses from Swedish commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania will hit the road in Adelaide this week, the first of 60 being progressively rolled out over the coming months.
The new fleet of 60 buses, which are expected to be fully operational in the city by the middle of next year, are expected to remove more than 4,500 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere each year as they replace the city’s ageing diesel fleet.
“This is an exciting milestone for our public transport network with the first two electric buses now handed over to the State Government and ready to hit the road,” said Emily Bourke, state minister for infrastructure and transport.
“Not only will this remove tonnes of unwanted carbon from our atmosphere each year, but it will also provide a cleaner and smoother ride for passengers.”
Each of the new buses seat approximately 43 passengers and boast driving range of approximately 350 kilometres on a single charge.
To further support the switch to battery electric buses, new charging bays are being installed at the Morphettville depot in south-west Adelaide in preparation for the full fleet’s arrival.
Jamie Atkinson, national sales and contracts manager for Scania Australia, said that when powered by electricity produced from renewable sources in South Australia – the state averages a 75 per cent penetration rate of wind and solar – they deliver public transport “that is cleaner and greener than ever.”
South Australia has committed to achieving net zero by 2050, including a fully decarbonised public transport network. Already the Adelaide Metro rail network has been partially decarbonised, with electrification of both the Gawler and Seaford/Flinders rail line, and a fleet of railcars including 34 electric and 50 hybrid-diesel.
The state stopped buying diesel-only buses in September of 2022, with all new buses procured either diesel-electric hybrids or battery electric.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.
