IN a first for Australia, Transperth will introduce two Malaga made electric articulated ‘bendy’ buses to its fleet.

The buses are the first of their kind in Australia and are being built at Volgren’s Malaga facility, with the first unveiled last week.

The 18-metre buses are around six metres longer than a standard Transperth bus and can carry about 105 seated and standing passengers, compared to about 80 on a standard bus.

The two articulated buses will begin testing on routes in Perth’s northern suburbs in the coming weeks and are expected to enter service around August, providing increased capacity for passengers on some of the network’s busiest corridors.

The buses can recharge in approximately four hours and form part of Transperth’s growing electric fleet, which includes more than 150 electric buses, with around 11 new electric buses entering service each month.

Local electric bus manufacturing is a key part of the Cook Labor government’s Made in WA plan to diversify the economy and grow 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.

Transperth’s diesel and compressed natural gas bus fleet will gradually be phased out as they reach their end of service life.

The last diesel Transperth bus was manufactured more than a year ago, with every new addition to the Transperth fleet since being a locally built electric bus.

Shifting bus manufacturing to fully electric follows on from a $250 million program jointly funded by the Australian and WA governments to deliver an initial 130 electric buses and associated infrastructure and bus depot upgrades.

Upgrades to accommodate EV charging infrastructure have already been completed at the Malaga depot and Elizabeth Quay Bus Station, with work underway on a new EV bus depot in Bayswater and upgrades at the Karrinyup and Jandakot depots.

Premier Roger Cook said the Australian-first locally made articulated buses was another way his government was prioritising the diversification of WA’s economy.

“We can keep WA the strongest economy in the nation, by making more things here and develop a skilled and productive workforce.

“More than 100 local jobs, including 15 apprentices, are supported here at Volgren’s Malaga facility, working to make Transperth’s fleet greener and be part of the energy transition.”

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the government was proud to be leading the nation with the roll out of the first locally made electric ‘bendy’ buses – made right here in WA.

“These two new buses build on our growing electric bus fleet, with 11 new electric buses entering service each month.

“Building electric buses locally is a key part of our government’s plan to diversify our economy and generate long-term jobs for Western Australians.

“The transition to locally made electric buses is keeping our economy strong while delivering a greener, cleaner public transport network for the future.”