Auckland Transport (AT) has launched 44 new electric buses, including 26 double-deckers, as part of its push to reduce emissions from public transport. The fleet was introduced on Sunday and will operate on several high-frequency and local routes, including the WX1 Western Express service.
The new vehicles are part of Auckland’s broader strategy to replace diesel buses with electric alternatives. AT said the deployment will support services on routes 11T, 11W and 12, as well as the WX1 line, which runs from Westgate to the city centre via Lincoln and Te Atatū interchanges. The move aligns with Auckland’s policy to stop purchasing internal combustion engine buses by 2030 and transition to a fully electric fleet by 2035.
“One of our key targets is that by 2030, we want all buses coming into the city centre to be electric,” said Edward Wright, Infrastructure and Fleet Specification Manager at AT. “We’re adding another 31 electric buses to our fleet by the end of June. By August next year, we will have a fleet of 450 electric buses, which is around a third of the 1,350 buses that operate AT’s services.”
The WX1 service was initially upgraded with electric double-deckers last year following a NZD 166 million investment. Local officials noted that demand for the service has remained strong. “We wouldn’t be getting double-deckers if there weren’t enough people to go on them, and it shows that west Aucklanders have really embraced the WX1 service,” said Henderson-Massey Local Board member Dan Collins. “And you can charge your phone on them too.”
The new bus rollout is part of a wider redesign of public transport services. Pete Moth, AT’s Head of Public Transport Services and Planning Development, said enhancements aim to improve efficiency and coverage. “We have replaced the old 120 service with the Frequent 12 service,” he said. “This new route links Greenhithe and Constellation Station on the North Shore, and unlike the old service, it will run along the motorway instead of residential roads – meaning faster journeys for most users. This will bring around 40 percent of west Aucklanders within walking distance of a turn-up-and-go bus or train service.”
Auckland introduced its first electric buses in 2020. The city plans to expand this network in stages over the next decade as part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and modernize its transit infrastructure.