The NSW Government has announced the purchase of 151 additional battery electric buses as part of its ongoing efforts to expand Sydney’s zero-emission fleet.
According to the government, the new purchase brings the number of buses acquired since the March 2023 election to 921, after what it described as an “ageing fleet” was inherited from the previous Liberal-National government. Officials noted that no new buses were purchased in the final two years of the Coalition’s term.
In a news release, the government noted that 151 new vehicles will exceed the government’s 50 per cent local manufacturing content target and will be built by Australian companies, including Custom Denning based in St Marys in Western Sydney.
The buses will be allocated to the Leichhardt and Kingsgrove depots, which are being upgraded to support the transition to zero-emission operations.
Transport Minister John Graham said the latest purchase represents a major step in the government’s zero-emissions agenda.
“This latest investment in new buses has us on an express route to 1,000 new buses since Labor came to government,” Graham said.
The NSW Government said the Zero Emission Buses program aims to replace more than 8,000 diesel and gas buses across the state with zero-emission alternatives over time.
Eleven existing Sydney depots are currently being converted, while a new battery electric facility is under construction at Macquarie Park.
Graham said the transition is being rolled out in a staged and sustainable way. “The build up of zero emission buses is happening in a staged and sustainable way, with the obvious benefits for the environment and air quality complemented by enhanced passenger comfort levels on these quieter, smoother buses.”
The government added that there are already more than 220 electric buses in operation across Greater Sydney, including three in Newcastle, with projections of around 1,700 in service by 2028.
