- State Government delivers on its electric bus election commitment
- The last diesel bus ever manufactured for public transport in WA set to leave depot
- Local electric bus manufacturing key part of WA Labor Government's Made in WA plan
- Diesel buses to be gradually phased out of the network over the coming two decades
A key election commitment of the Cook Labor Government will be delivered today with the last diesel bus ever manufactured in Western Australia leaving the Volgren bus manufacturing facility for passenger services.
From today, all new buses manufactured for public transport in WA will be electric.
The commitment to manufacture and build electric buses locally is a key pillar of the Cook Labor Government's Made in WA plan - aimed at diversifying the State's economy and growing local jobs.
More than 100 local jobs, including 15 apprentices, are supported at Volgren's Malaga facility - with battery electric buses exclusively produced and delivered for public transport across Western Australia.
Each electric bus has the capability to travel up to 300km on a single charge, saving about 40 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year.
Shifting bus manufacturing to fully electric follows on from a $250 million program jointly funded by the State and Federal Governments to deliver an initial 130 electric buses and associated infrastructure and bus depot upgrades.
Work on the $250 million program is well underway including:
- 18 electric buses built at Volgren's Malaga facility and now servicing Perth CAT routes;
- completion of 18 EV charging dispensers at Elizabeth Quay Bus Station;
- soon-to-be-complete electric charging infrastructure at the Malaga bus depot with the first electric bus operating from the facility in mid-2025;
- plans for EV charging infrastructure upgrades to the Karrinyup and Claisebrook bus depots; and
- start of works on the new Bayswater EV depot.
The State Government will allocate an additional $61.9 million in the upcoming State Budget to shift manufacturing to fully electric.
While the upfront cost of an electric bus costs more than a diesel bus, in the long-term, electric buses are cheaper to run and maintain.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
"I want to ensure Western Australia's economy remains the strongest nation.
"That means diversifying by investing in decarbonisation and supporting local manufacturing so that we can build more things in WA.
"Building electric buses locally is a key part of my Government's vision for a future that is made in WA, complementing our locally built METRONET railcars and historic investment in public transport.
"It won't just create more than 100 jobs in Perth's north-eastern suburbs - it will lower our emissions and reduce operating costs across Perth's public transport network too.
"This milestone is key to my government's plan to invest in public transport, support local manufacturing, create jobs, and ensure WA's economy and jobs market is ready for the future."
As stated by Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:
"Today marks a tremendous step towards a greener, cleaner bus network, and the delivery of a key election commitment by our government.
"From today - every bus that leaves our Malaga bus manufacturing facility will be electric, with every electric bus saving about 40 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year.
"In the space of a few years, we have seen the successful trial of four electric buses on the Joondalup CAT network, a $250 million investment to start manufacturing electric buses and today, the full transition to locally made electric buses.
"These new electric buses will be manufactured and built locally in Western Australia, supporting long-term local jobs and the delivery of our Made in WA plan."
