The first zero emission buses to operate outside of Sydney arrived in the Hunter and entered service yesterday afternoon.
Keolis Downer has taken charge of a contingent of three new buses after infrastructure work was completed at its Hamilton depot to fit out three dispensers and a charging station for the public transport vehicles, which have a range of around 400 kilometres.
The average Newcastle bus travels between 200 and 300 kilometres a day, Keolis Downer general manager Emmanuel Genlot said yesterday.
The first three buses will enter services in the Newcastle CBD, as well as the surrounding suburbs and Lake Macquarie, and have been touted for offering a quieter and smoother ride than the city's diesel-powered alternative.
The vehicles are so quiet, Mr Genlot said, that an artificial whir has been installed on the machines as a safety precaution so that pedestrians can still hear the buses on the road.
He hoped the new transit vehicles, as they roll out in the city, could address both the community's need to have a bus stop near their homes, without the oppressive noise and vibrations of the older fleet.
The three new buses will undergo a trial service over the next few weeks as the transport operator and its drivers put the vehicles through their paces and take feedback on the service.
Mr Genlot said further infrastructure works would be needed to electrify the Hamilton depot before any more new buses would be brought in, but noted that pending state approval, the plan was to gradually phase out its old diesel fleet and replace it with a greener electric alternative.
The buses were manufactured in Australia and run on a battery built by US electric vehicle manufacturer Proterra.
Hunter Parliamentary Secretary Taylor Martin launched the buses in Newcastle yesterday with NSW Transport north region direct Anna Zycki and the Liberal's candidate for Newcastle, Thomas Triebsees.
"It is a big milestone in our industry and for Newcastle and Lake Macquarie," Mr Genlot said, adding that Keolis Downer would be in consultation with the state going forward to transition its broader fleet.
