Electric Bus Build On Queensland’s Gold Coast

BusTech ZDi electric bus sans wrapping

Queensland’s Palaszczuk Government has announced 16 new electric buses will be built on the Gold Coast and the state’s first 100% electric bus depot is to be constructed.

In a $15.6 million deal with Keolis Downer and said to be the largest rollout of electric buses in Queensland to date, the vehicles will be built at BusTech Group’s facility in Burleigh. The buses’ home base will Hornibrook’s North Lakes depot, which will be upgraded to 100% electric.

BusTech’s ZDi will be supplied, which is a 61-seat, 12.5-metre vehicle with 450 kWh of battery storage capacity and an estimated 325 kilometres of driving range.

So, what will the charging source be for these buses? Like the rest of Australia, Queensland’s grid is cleaning up thanks to renewables such as wind and solar power, but there’s still a lot of coal and gas-fired electricity generation in play.

According to the Queensland Government announcement, the depot will be using “100 per cent renewable energy”. It’s not clear in what form it will take, e.g., if on-site solar panels on the rooftop of the depot will be providing part of that.

As well as reducing emissions, the project will bring an economic boost for local suppliers, contractors and local job creation according to Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles; with the project supporting 150 jobs over the next two years.

The first bus is expected to arrive at the new North Lakes depot in September next year, with all 16 ready for service by late 2023.

There will be more zero emissions buses to come for Queensland.

“The Palaszczuk Government has made a commitment that by 2025 every new urban bus we add to the fleet in SEQ will be zero-emissions, by 2030 we’ll roll that out to the rest of the urban fleet – and of course we want them to be built here in Queensland,” said the state’s Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey.

Of course, no announcement regarding zero emissions transport would be complete these days without a mention of hydrogen. Assistant Minister for Hydrogen Development and the 50% Renewable Energy by 2030 Target (quite a title) Lance McCallum said while these new buses were electric, he was also keen to encourage the use of renewable hydrogen in transport.

I Love Hate The Smell Of Diesel In The Morning

On a related note, BusTech recently began delivery of 20 new school buses in South Australia, including 17 hybrid-electric vehicles. Produced at its Adelaide facility, BusTech says the Scania drivetrain technology used in the hybrid electrics has been shown to reduce diesel consumption and emissions by up to 25 per cent per vehicle.

The hybrid buses can switch to electric drive when idling at bus stops or in school zones, meaning students travelling on these buses will miss out on what was previously a rite of passage for schoolkids – being engulfed in diesel fumes at pickup and drop-off.