Two bus depots in Canberra are to have large-scale charging machinery for electric buses as the switch of the fleet to electric gathers speed.
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The ACT government says it has engaged Evoenergy to work on the Woden and Tuggeranong depots so up to 300 electric buses can be plugged in to recharge their batteries.
The two depots are to be connected to the Wanniassa substation to manage the substantial demand in power supply necessary.
Twelve electric buses have already arrived, and the ACT government is now progressing with the substantial infrastructure the growing electric fleet will need.
"This is a significant day for public transport in Canberra as we transition to zero-emission transport," transport minister Chris Steel said.
"Our transition plan has never just been about buying electric buses, it is about building the grid and charging infrastructure to support them and upskilling our staff to maintain and operate this new technology."
Twelve of the Yutong E12 buses will be charged at the existing Tuggeranong depot, with the next phase of buses also being charged in Belconnen and later at the all-electric Woden depot, when it is completed.
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The 2021-22 ACT budget allocated $3.1 million to this project, rising to $9.5 million in 2022-23 and $11 million in 2023-24.
One of the effects of the transition from diesel to electric has already been noticed: electric buses are virtually silent.
They have a range of about 400 kilometres, enough to run through any ordinary driver shift. Mostly the charging of the batteries will be done overnight.
Transport Canberra plans to upgrade its entire fleet to zero-emissions technology by 2040 or sooner.
The ACT government has agreed to lease the electric buses for up to seven years before having the chance to buy the fleet.
The last of the orange-and-blue Renault buses will be retired over the first half of the year, later than their planned retirement at the end of 2022.
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Steve Evans
Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues."
Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues."
