EECA grant to convert 50 former trolley buses to electric

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) will provide a $763,000 grant to Wellington, New Zealand, to convert 50 former trolley buses to battery power. The initiative supports the Greater Regional Wellington Council's ambition to run a fully electric fleet on its Metlink service. EECA is a government agency which works to improve the energy efficiency of New Zealand's homes and businesses. Bus operator NZ Bus will install fast-charging stations for its former trolley buses at depots in the
August 13, 2018 Read time: 1 min

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) will provide a $763,000 grant to Wellington, New Zealand, to convert 50 former trolley buses to battery power. The initiative supports the Greater Regional Wellington Council's ambition to run a fully electric fleet on its Metlink service.

EECA is a government agency which works to improve the energy efficiency of New Zealand's homes and businesses.

Bus operator NZ Bus will install fast-charging stations for its former trolley buses at depots in the city's Karori and Kilbirnie suburbs.

The converted trolley electric buses are expected to be operational in January 2019.

Related Content

  • May 8, 2012
    Windsor is first North American city to launch BYD all-electric buses
    Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis has signed a letter of intent to purchase up to 10, BYD 40-foot electric buses for city transit services in 2012, the first city in North America to launch long-range, all-electric buses. The agreement also opens talks to bring manufacturing of BYD buses to the Ontario region in the near future. Transit Windsor has the unique distinction of running in Canada as well as in Detroit, making this launch one that serves on both Canadian and United States’ roads.
    Read More
  • January 11, 2017
    The bus future is electric, says UITP
    More and more cities in Europe and around the world are turning to electric buses (or e-buses) in an effort to go green according to UITP’s new ZeEUS eBus Report. The report, published as part of the Zero Emission Urban Bus System project, reveals that 19 public transport operators and authorities, covering around 25 European cities, have a published e-bus strategy for 2020. By this date, there should be more than 2,500 electric buses operating in these cities, representing six per cent of their total fl
    Read More
  • May 9, 2016
    New Zealand government driving the switch to electric vehicles
    The New Zealand government has announced plans to double the number of electric vehicles in the country every year to reach approximately 64,000 by 2021 in an ambitious and wide ranging package of measures to increase the uptake of electric vehicles. The package also includes extending the road user charges exemption on light electric vehicles until they make up two percent of the light vehicle fleet and a new road user charges exemption for heavy electric vehicles until they make up two percent of the h
    Read More
  • October 2, 2018
    Shock therapy: jolt for EV charging needed
    As sales of electric vehicles accelerate, the growth of charging infrastructure is in need of a big boost. Graham Anderson reports on whether Europe is up to it. Utilities, technology companies and vehicle manufacturers are battling to put in place new charging networks for electric vehicles (EVs) across Europe in response to a predicted dramatic surge in demand. Market experts believe that rapidly falling battery costs – which make up about one third of the costs of an electric car – and growing
    Read More

Highlighted Content