Sydney to receive first locally-made electric buses this year

The Element is an Australian designed and produced e-bus, assembled by Custom Denning, in St Marys, Western Sydney.
Image courtesy of Custom Denning.

The first locally manufactured electric buses will hit the road in Sydney later this year, as the NSW Government pushes ahead with its plan to electrify the bus fleet by 2030.

Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said the Element electric bus, built by Custom Denning, will be the first electric bus entirely manufactured in NSW.

“We are another step closer to creating a greener, cleaner and healthier future for the people of NSW, thanks to Custom Denning manufacturing electric buses at its factory in St Marys,” Mr Constance said.

“Custom’s Element electric bus has undergone a thorough assessment and I am excited to see it now included on a list of electric buses available to Transport for NSW’s bus operators.”

“Busways has already placed an order for six new electric buses from Custom, and I look forward to many more local bus companies taking up the opportunity to support local manufacturing and local jobs.”

Custom Bus Group Managing Director Scott Dunn said Custom had been building buses in Sydney for more than 65 years, and has built more than 700 diesel buses for the NSW Government over the past 10 years.

“The Element electric bus will be able to operate for around 22 hours on a single four-hour charge, and are cheaper to maintain and operate than their diesel counterparts,” said Mr Dunn.

“Busways was Custom Denning’s first non-government customer and we have been buying high quality, reliable buses from them since 1958. We’ve been trialling the Element bus in the Penrith area for the last month and we are excited to be receiving our first order in the coming months,” said Busways Managing Director, Byron Rowe.

In late May, Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) awarded a $900 million contract to Downer and Keolis joint venture to introduce 125 electric buses on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and the lower north shore over eight years.

More than 60 new electric buses will be introduced on bus routes operated on behalf of the NSW Government this year. Electric buses are already operating in Sydney’s inner west and south west, as well as in the Hornsby and Sutherland regions.