Victoria’s first all-electric bus depot powering ahead

Victoria’s first all-electric bus depot will be powered up in the coming weeks, marking a major milestone in the state’s push towards a cleaner and more sustainable bus fleet.

Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll today visited the Ventura depot in Ivanhoe, which is set to become home to the largest fleet of locally made zero emission electric buses across the state.

Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll said: “We’re delivering all-electric buses and building our vital local industry partnerships with energy providers and manufacturers, as we transition to net zero.”

The depot is currently being converted into the base for the expanding fleet of electric buses, which forms part of the Victorian Government’s $20 million, Zero Emissions Bus (ZEB) Trial.

The trial will inform the transition of around 4000 diesel buses in the state’s public fleet, including around 2200 in regional Victoria, to zero emissions. From 2025, all new buses on Victoria’s public transport routes will be zero emissions.

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The electric bus bodies in the trial will be built at Volgren’s Dandenong South manufacturing facility in Victoria, supporting local jobs and injecting money into the local economy.

Ventura is moving to a cleaner, greener fleet as part of the trial, with 12 new zero emission buses going into service from the newly converted Ivanhoe depot in March.

Member for Ivanhoe Anthony Carbines said: “Ventura is the largest bus operator in Victoria and the biggest participant in our Zero Emissions Bus trial and it’s exciting for the northern suburbs community that Ivanhoe is at the forefront of that transition to a greener future.”

The new zero emission buses will operate on nine northern suburbs routes including to La Trobe University, Gowrie Station, and Northland Shopping Centre.

Works to convert the Ivanhoe depot continue and include the installation of a new transformer on site and 14 chargers. Electrification specialist Zenobē is managing the upgraded grid connection that supports the 14 dual-gun Tritium fast chargers.

By early 2024, the depot will be home to 27 battery electric buses, transporting up to 10,000 people each week and covering more than 1.2 million kilometres annually in and around the northern suburbs.

Creating a greener fleet is part of Victoria’s Bus Plan to develop a modern and reliable network that attracts more passengers, with the new, greener buses critical to the Victorian Government’s goal of net zero emissions by 2045.

“Victorians deserve a great public transport system – one that’s clean, reliable, and sustainable,” said Premier Daniel Andrews.

“That’s why we’re rolling out more electric buses, and work on the state’s first all-electric bus depot will soon be complete.”