The last diesel bus ever manufactured in Western Australia has left the Volgren bus manufacturing facility for passenger services.
From 21 May, all new buses manufactured for public transport in Western Australia will be electric.
The commitment to manufacture and build electric buses locally is a key pillar of the Western Australian 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.
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.
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Images: Volgren
