Brookvale Bus Depot in New South Wales has become the first facility in Australia to deploy a pantograph-down charging system for electric buses, as part of a project aimed at replacing up to 229 diesel buses with zero-emission alternatives.
The depot, owned by Transport for NSW and operated by Keolis, is undergoing a major upgrade to support the state’s transition toward electric public transport under the Zero Emission Bus Transition Plan.
Space Constraints Drive Alternative Charging Approach
According to project participants, the Brookvale depot faced several operational and infrastructure challenges that made conventional charging solutions less suitable.
Limited space at the site restricted the installation of traditional plug-in charging systems, while the depot also needed to accommodate buses from multiple manufacturers, maintain backup power capabilities to prevent charging interruptions, and support a high-capacity 5 MVA grid connection.
To address these requirements, the project adopted pantograph-down charging technology, marking the first deployment of the system in Australia.
Kempower Chargers Support Multi-Brand Electric Bus Fleet
JET Charge, Kempower’s local sales partner, supplied the charging equipment and provided system integration expertise, while Downer EDI Engineering served as the principal contractor for the project.
The installation includes 13 Kempower 450 kW Power Units paired with 850-amp pantograph-down chargers. The charging infrastructure is designed to support a growing fleet of electric buses from manufacturers including Custom Denning, Yutong and Foton.
The system allows charging operations across multiple vehicle platforms while maximizing available depot space.
Extensive Testing Conducted Before Deployment
Kempower said the project involved a higher level of complexity than typical charging installations because there was no existing local reference project for the technology.
To support deployment, a complete charging system was air-freighted to Custom Denning’s manufacturing facility for integration testing before installation at the depot.
The company said the final system is designed to deliver up to 99.9% uptime, supported in part by the depot’s CORE Max load management platform.
Smart Energy Management Supports Reliable Operations
The CORE Max system incorporates a newly developed input/output expander that provides real-time monitoring of high-voltage protection devices and dynamically adjusts charging loads.
According to the project partners, the technology is intended to ensure safe operation while optimizing power availability across the charging network.
With the installation now operational, Brookvale Bus Depot is expected to serve as a reference project for future electric bus depot developments across New South Wales as authorities continue implementing large-scale public transport electrification programs.