Western Australia has unveiled what the State Government says is Australia’s first locally manufactured electric articulated bus, describing the project as a boost for local manufacturing while expanding the capacity of Perth’s public transport network.
According to the WA Government, two 18-metre electric articulated, or “bendy”, buses have been built at Volgren’s manufacturing facility in Malaga and will soon begin road testing on routes in Perth’s northern suburbs before entering passenger service around August.
The locally built buses are the first of their kind to be produced in Australia and form part of the Cook Government’s Made in WA plan, which aims to diversify the State’s economy through local manufacturing and job creation.
The articulated buses are around six metres longer than a standard Transperth bus and can carry about 105 seated and standing passengers, compared with around 80 on a standard bus. They can be recharged in approximately four hours and will join Transperth’s growing electric fleet, which now includes more than 150 electric buses, with around 11 additional electric buses entering service each month.
The WA Government said more than 100 local jobs, including 15 apprenticeships, are supported at Volgren’s Malaga facility, where battery electric buses are exclusively produced for Western Australia’s public transport network.
Premier Roger Cook said the project demonstrates the Government’s focus on growing local manufacturing.
“This Australian-first – locally made articulated buses – is just another way my Government is prioritising the diversification of WA’s economy,” Cook said.
“We can keep WA the strongest economy in the nation, by making more things here and develop a skilled and productive workforce.”
He added that more than 100 local jobs, including 15 apprentices, are supported at the Malaga facility, “working to make Transperth’s fleet greener and be part of the energy transition.”
Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the buses represented another step in the State’s transition to electric public transport.
“We’re proud to be leading the nation with the roll out of our first locally made electric ‘bendy’ buses – made right here in WA,” Saffioti said.
“These two new buses build on our growing electric bus fleet, with 11 new electric buses entering service each month.”
She said local manufacturing of electric buses aligns with the Government’s broader economic strategy.
“Building electric buses locally is a key part of our Government’s plan to diversify our economy and generate long-term jobs for Western Australians,” Saffioti said.
“The transition to locally made electric buses is keeping our economy strong while delivering a greener, cleaner public transport network for the future.”
The rollout follows a $250 million program jointly funded by the Australian and Western Australian governments to deliver an initial 130 electric buses, together with supporting charging infrastructure and upgrades to bus depots. The WA Government said charging infrastructure upgrades have already been completed at the Malaga depot and Elizabeth Quay Bus Station, while work continues on a new electric bus depot in Bayswater and upgrades at the Karrinyup and Jandakot depots.
The Government also said Transperth’s diesel and compressed natural gas bus fleet will be progressively retired as vehicles reach the end of their service life, with every new addition to the fleet since the last diesel bus was manufactured more than a year ago being a locally built electric bus.
