First look at Brisbane Metro’s state-of-the-art electric vehicle fleet

As Brisbane City Council reveals just what the state-of-the-art vehicles servicing its $944 million Brisbane Metro will look like, the opposition has slammed the project for already being over budget.

COMMUTERS will be given their first glimpse of the state-of-the-art vehicles that will service the $944 million Brisbane Metro, with never- before-seen designs to be released today.

The Sunday Mail can reveal the 60 vehicle fleet will be entirely electric, allowing it to travel in near-silence without unsightly poles and wires.

The battery powered electric vehicles will be 24.4m long and 2.5m wide, with the capacity to carry 150 passengers across a three carriage design that includes four large double doors.

Brisbane-based supplier Volgren and electric-vehicle producer Hess will deliver the 60 bi-articulated vehicles after they were awarded the contract last week following a competitive tender.

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Brisbane Metro’s electric vehicles will have the capacity to carry 150 passengers.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the fit-out of the vehicles as well as the construction of the charging facilities would create up to 40 jobs in Brisbane.

“This is an absolute game changer,” he said.

“I think the people of Brisbane will be very excited about these vehicles, and proud that their city is taking a positive step to cut vehicle pollution.

“The tender process produced some cutting-edge thinking from the bidders, meaning we will have a near-silent, fully electric transport system.”

The fleet of vehicles was originally expected to cost $94 million, but the council has confirmed they will now set ratepayers back about $199 million – an additional cost of over $100 million.

They claim more than half of the extra cost will be offset by the affordability of running an electric powered fleet.

The first vehicle will arrive for testing early next year.

Labor’s lord mayoral candidate Patrick Condren slammed the extra $100 million that would be spent on the vehicles.

“(Brisbane Metro is) already $100 million over budget,” he said.

“When you look at the dog’s breakfast that is Kingsford Smith Drive, you can certainly understand why we as Labor say that this mob simply cannot be trusted with big projects.”

Mr Condren said Labor’s plan at the last election to introduce light rail was “right on the money”.

“This above-ground, bendy bus, $100 million over budget plan of Adrian Schrinner’s was scratched out on the back of a napkin four years ago in response to Labor’s forward thinking light rail plan,” he said.

A pilot Metro vehicle is set to arrive in Brisbane early next year for testing, before the council orders the remaining 59 vehicles.

Each vehicle will include free Wi-Fi, USB charging ports as well as a low floor from the front to the rear, allowing for easy accessibility.

The driver’s cabin will be separated from the passengers’ carriages.

Flash charging infrastructure will also be rolled out across the Metro lines, allowing the vehicles to be recharged in less than six minutes at the end of each route.

While the vehicles will be built overseas, the fit-out and finish will be completed at Volgren’s Brisbane base in Eagle Farm.

They will have the capacity to reach speeds of up to 90km/h, which is the maximum speed allowed on the busway.

It is understood the council considered several designs, including one that would have been diesel powered.

Metro services are expected to commence in 2023.

“Brisbane Metro will provide services every three minutes in peak periods, reducing travel times by up to half, alleviating congestion, and improving the greater public transport network,” Cr Schrinner said.

“Rather than hundreds of buses travelling into the city, they’ll link with high-capacity and high-frequency Metro services running along dedicated busways, including 24-hours a day over the weekend.”