Kiwi Bus Builders managing director Richard Drummond walking with Climate Change Minister James Shaw next to the skeleton of a bus being built. Photo / Mead Norton
Kiwi Bus Builders managing director Richard Drummond walking with Climate Change Minister James Shaw next to the skeleton of a bus being built. Photo / Mead Norton
Sitting aboard a bright yellow and green double-decker E-bus, climate change minister James Shaw heard of two Tauranga men's dreams for a wholly electric bus service trial in the city.
Shaw visited Tauranga's Kiwi Bus Builders depot on Friday, touring the facility with the business' managing director Richard Drummond andTauranga architect Mark Wassung.
During the visit, Shaw acknowledged work to review rules that regional councils adhered to for public transport was not moving quickly enough.
These rules were set out in the Public Transport Operating Model, which was under review.
Asked if there had been any barriers to decarbonisation identified, Shaw said there were a tonne.
Among them, the fact the model was written before electric buses existed and policies set in it were based on "different assumptions" than what was needed in 2022.
Kiwi Bus Builders managing director Richard Drummond walking with Climate Change Minister James Shaw next to the skeleton of a bus being built. Photo / Mead Norton
"The economics of electric buses are quite different from the economics of diesels."
It was complex and took time to "unpick" it, he said.
"My only regret is things aren't moving as fast as anybody would like."
His visit came after the Government announced in Budget 2022 it would work to accelerate the decarbonisation of public transport.
Shaw's key takeaway from the visit was that the engineering of the buses produced at the Tauriko business was better than some transport vehicles being imported.
"Its one of those great examples of Kiwi innovation shining up there with the best of them."
He said, given the move to get the country's bus fleet from diesel to electric, it would be "great" if as many as possible were built in Aotearoa.
A variety of electric buses are built at the Kiwi Bus Builders workshop, including those making up the Wellington fleet.
Drummond and Wassung presented to the Tauranga Public Transport Joint Committee in June, asking it to consider a trial of 100 per cent electric buses in Tauranga, mainly along the Te Papa peninsular.
Climate Change Minister James Shaw on board an electric bus built in Tauranga, destined for Wellington. Photo / Mead Norton
Drummond and Wassung provided the regional council with the design and quotes for a 23-seat electric bus, as well as solar-powered bus hubs.
Wassung said the design of bus services was lacking and the hubs helped provide a "pleasant experience" with heating, wifi and light.
The committee recommended staff consider the ideas.
The regional council has set a goal of increasing public transport mode-share in Tauranga and Rotorua urban areas in the morning peak to more than five per cent by 2030, and to achieve zero tailpipe emissions in its fleet by 2035.
That was the target year set by the Government in its emission reduction plan, with $40 million over four years provided in the Budget to help providers decarbonise.
Shaw said this would help councils to buy electric buses, which were a higher purchase price than diesel buses.
There was another $61 million to support a sustainable, skilled workforce of bus drivers.
The plan also required only zero-emissions public transport buses to be purchased by 2025.
It said it would support regional councils to achieve its desired outcomes through additional funding.
