Waiheke Island to get electric buses

Wednesday, 24 July 2019

One of three electric buses being evaluated by Auckland Transport, of a type to be used on Waiheke Island.

Auckland's Waiheke Island is to switch to electric buses, with the first six due to enter service mid-next year.

A deal has been struck between Auckland Transport and Fullers-owned Waiheke Bus Company, as part of the revised contract for services on the island.

The remaining five diesel buses will be replaced by electrics at a later unspecified date.

The initiative has got the thumbs up from the Waiheke Island Local Board.

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'We've currently got really old buses with high emissions,' said Cath Handley, the board chair.

Handley said having high-profile electric buses circulating on the island would be a powerful signal to others about the shift away from diesels.

'It will have a profound effect - modelling in a visual way this move from diesel to electric,' she said.

'Road transport is Auckland's largest source of emissions, so this is a great step in tackling this,' said Shane Ellison, AT's chief executive.

The move follows a campaign launched last November by a group on the island, wanting all vehicles to be electric by 2030.

'Waiheke is tailor-made for EVs with its limited roading network and short distances being travelled by tradies and commuters every day. On Waiheke the road runs out before your power does,' said Vern Whitehead, a spokesperson for Electric Island Waiheke.

Whitehead said there were currently about 80 EVs on the island out of 7000 vehicles, making up just 1 per cent of the island's fleet.

Waiheke Island will be way ahead of the rest of Auckland in the conversion to electric buses, with three being trialled by AT on several routes around the city since 2018.

Auckland Transport currently plans to end the purchase of diesel buses by 2025, but is looking at ways to speed up the conversion of Auckland's 1300-strong fleet of buses, to zero-emission buses.