First year of electric bus travel in Perth a success

They might be decked out in eye-catching red livery, but the electric buses operating Joondalup’s CAT route have been kicking significant green goals since going into operation one year ago. 

Operated by Transperth contractor Swan Transit, the four Volvo battery-electric buses - which were introduced into service in stages since the first trip was made on February 28, 2022 – are powered by lithium-ion batteries and create minimal greenhouse gas emissions, providing a more environmentally-friendly public transport option for commuters. 

The electric quartet has carried an estimated 250,000+ passengers in the first 12 months and covered more than 140,000km, saving about 230 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in the process.

As part of the rollout, modifications were made to the Joondalup bus depot to include a high-voltage electric vehicle charging system, which allows the bus batteries to be recharged through a combination of the existing grid network and a 100kW solar array connected to a large on-site battery storage system.

Transperth spokesman David Hynes said it was easy to see why this technology was so well received among commuters. 

“In February last year, we celebrated the first electric bus to go into service in Perth, a significant step in our ongoing push for cleaner, greener transport technology,” he said. 

“A year on and our battery-electric buses have become a regular workhorse in the Joondalup area, carrying a quarter of a million passengers and saving 230 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions while doing so.”

The four buses were delivered under the Public Transport Authority's existing bus supply contract with Volvo, with the company committed to local production in Western Australia for any further orders.

Visit www.transperth.wa.gov.au or download the Transperth App for more information.

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