ACT introduces first electric bus on path to zero transport emissions

The Driven

An all-electric bus built by leading bus-maker Yutong will begin ferrying Canberrans around the Australian capital city this week, as the ACT government enacts its plan to transition the Transport Canberra bus fleet to 100% zero emissions vehicles by 2040.

As Australia faces unprecedented weather conditions causing devastating fires across NSW and Queensland whipping up calls from the public for more effective action on climate change in the states and on the federal level, the ACT has been resolutely leading the way in strategies to address the rising carbon emissions.

In October the ACT achieved its 100% renewable electricity target by 2020 two months with the start of deliveries of power from the Hornsdale Stage 3 109MW wind farm in  South Australia.

It is now looking to reduce the next largest source of carbon emissions, transport, which now makes up 60% of the ACT’s emissions thanks to the decarbonisation of the ACT grid, as part of a wider plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2045.

Introduced by ACT chief minister Andrew Barr and minister for transport Chris Steel on Monday, the Yutong E12 electric bus is the first in what will eventually be an entirely electric bus fleet for the ACT

To read the full story on RenewEconomy’s electric vehicle dedicated site, The Driven, click here…