Skip to main content

All aboard Australia’s newest electric bus

Working in partnership with BusTech, Swinburne University of Technology has helped develop the first electric bus to be designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia. The first concept demonstrator bus was unveiled at the Maintenance Conference and Bus Expo in Melbourne. According to Pro vice-chancellor, International Research Engagement, Professor Ajay Kapoor, the research and development has involved solving the challenges of integrating electric vehicle technologies using computer-aided engi
July 8, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
Working in partnership with BusTech, 5192 Swinburne University of Technology has helped develop the first electric bus to be designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia.

The first concept demonstrator bus was unveiled at the Maintenance Conference and Bus Expo in Melbourne.

According to Pro vice-chancellor, International Research Engagement, Professor Ajay Kapoor, the research and development has involved solving the challenges of integrating electric vehicle technologies using computer-aided engineering to design and configure sub-systems into the bus platform.

Researchers developed high and low voltage electrical systems for the bus, including the design architecture for electrical circuit motor controls, supervisory control and other control systems to ensure the most efficient operation.”

Professor Kapoor said that a key aspect to achieving product life-cycle cost savings was to come up with a future-proof concept, which will enable upgrades as the technology evolves. On average, the electric bus will be 80 per cent cheaper to maintain than the diesel buses currently being driven in Australia

Professor Kapoor said that Swinburne was well placed to work and conduct research on electric vehicles, bringing together experts from the automotive industry, working alongside academics with expertise in electric vehicle technologies.

“I’d really like to see the Australian government invest in this technology. For the sake of the environment, as well as the future of manufacturing in Australia,” Professor Kapoor said.

The electric bus project is a joint collaboration between BusTech (part of Transit Australia Group), the Australian Government’s Automotive Cooperative Research Centre- AutoCRC and the Malaysian Government.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • ITS sector 'working hard to reduce transport disadvantage'
    September 2, 2024
    ITS Australia president Silje Troseth lauds tech's potential for increasing inclusivity
  • Iteris joins leadership circle for automated vehicle initiative
    September 10, 2014
    Iteris has joined the University of Michigan as one of 13 companies that includes Denso, Delphi, Econolite, Ford, GM, Nissan, Verizon and Toyota as a founding partner in its Mobility Transformation Center (MTC). The MTC will initiate and execute multiple research programs to advance the technology and policies surrounding new methods of transportation relating to smart vehicles and infrastructure. Iteris plans to collaborate with MTC and the select group of companies to guide the selection of specific re
  • Delivering accurate bus information
    July 27, 2012
    John C. Toone, King County Metro, describes the transition to an IntelliDrive-led approach to communication and information sharing in line with the introduction of a new bus rapid transit service. King County Metro (KC Metro), which serves Seattle, Bellevue and over 20 suburban towns, has been active in the development of intelligent transportation systems for many years. It has operated a signpost-based AVL system for more than a decade and has used this to provide bus location information to the public o
  • Jenoptik expands Asia-Pacific business
    January 31, 2013
    German optoelectronics group Jenoptik is expanding its business in the Asia-Pacific region with the acquisition of 100 per cent of Australian company DCD Systems, a provider of traffic safety technology based in Sydney and Melbourne. DCD was previously the sales and service partner for the Jenoptik Traffic Solutions division in Australia; Jenoptik has maintained a close working relationship with the company for more than 10 years. Within the framework of the acquisition DCD Systems will be integrated into t