Western Australia commits $125m for bigger EV bus fleet

Adrian Black | April 23, 2023

Western Australia’s government will meet a $125 million federal commitment to expand the state’s electric bus fleet.

The $250 million program will deliver 130 locally-built electric buses and charging infrastructure at key depots, with the WA government’s funding to be confirmed in the 2023-24 budget.

Premier Mark McGowan said electric buses were the future and would support local jobs and businesses.

“This investment will ensure Western Australia’s public transport network is clean and green for our net-zero future,” he said in a statement on Sunday.

“Expanding our electric bus network is already having a tangible impact to reduce carbon emissions.”

The state government estimates its four-bus trial on Perth’s Joondalup CAT route has carried more than 250,000 passengers more than 140,000km in the first 12 months and foregone 230 tonnes in carbon dioxide emissions.

Transport minister Rita Saffioti hailed the trial as a success.

“If four of these buses have managed to carry more than 250,000 passengers and save 230 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in a year, it is exciting to think what a growing fleet will be able to achieve in the near future,” he said.

Six of eight states and territories have set targets for a transition to zero-emission buses, with southeast Queensland and Perth expected to make the switch by 2025 and Tasmania and the rest of Queensland and WA to join them by 2030.

Victoria has committed to buying only zero-emission buses from 2025 and NSW has set a deadline of 2035 in Sydney, 2040 for outer metro areas and 2047 for regional NSW.

The ACT has is planning a 2040 switch, while South Australia and the Northern Territory have not yet set a date.

WA also announced free public transport on the first Sunday of each month for SmartRider holders, starting on June 4.