Zero emissions electric bus fleet, charging stations in the works at Ventura Ivanhoe depot

Say goodbye to diesel fumes and engine noise as a new fleet of electric buses in Melbourne’s north promises your most relaxing ride yet.

The words ‘public transport’ and ‘relaxing’ don’t often go together in a sentence, but a new fleet of electric buses hitting the road in Melbourne’s north is set to change that.

The Victorian government announced this week 27 zero-emissions electric buses would be servicing the northern suburbs from early 2024, operating out of the state’s first fully electric bus depot in Heidelberg West.

Works to convert bus operator Ventura’s Ivanhoe depot to accommodate the state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly fleet, including the installation of 15 fast-charging units, are expected to begin next month and be completed by the end of the year.

The new buses won’t look much different from what passengers know, but what’s ‘under the hood’ will be a big departure from the diesel fuel guzzling buses of the past.

“It’s beautifully quiet,” Paul Jones, of Reservoir, who drove Ventura’s first electric bus for about a month straight when it arrived at the depot at the start of the year said.

“It’s just so smooth — there’s no transmission, so there’s no banging and clanging of gears, no diesel rumbling through the small streets,” he said.

“Passengers make comments all the time about how peaceful it is now.

“They ask me: ‘Is the engine even on?’”

Bus driver Paul Jones of Reservoir on board an electric bus at Ventura’s Ivanhoe depot – set to be Victoria’s first fully electric bus depot. Picture: Kirra Grimes

Ventura managing director Andrew Cornwall said the new buses would be “a breath of fresh air” for northern suburbs residents, and the Ivanhoe conversion would pave the way for the company to fit out its remaining 11 depots.

A further 12 electric trial buses are due to enter the network this year, and by 2024, 27 electric buses will be operating on nine routes across the northern suburbs, transporting up to 10,000 people each week including to La Trobe University and Northland Shopping Centre.

Ivanhoe state Labor MP Anthony Carbines, Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll, and Ventura managing director Andrew Cornwall admiring a clean, green, and quiet new electric bus Ventura’s Ivanhoe depot. Picture: Kirra Grimes

Going electric is not expected to cut down travel time or bus fares, but is expected to boost local employment, with Dandenong South-based manufacturer Volgren estimating 1.5 new jobs internally and 3.5 new jobs in the local supply chain for every new bus built.

The first electric bus based at Ventura’s Ivanhoe depot has been operational since early 2022. Picture: Kirra Grimes

The depot conversion is part of the state government’s $20m Zero Emissions Bus Trial, which aims to transition Victoria’s entire bus fleet to zero emissions, as part of a legislated commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.

Six Victorian bus companies have been selected to trial two hydrogen and 50 electric buses across existing routes in Melbourne, Seymour and Traralgon.

Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll said Ventura’s depot conversion would provide insights needed to guide the process across the rest of the state.

“We have a big job ahead of us as we transition our bus fleet to zero emissions, so having the opportunity to study and learn from the conversion of Ventura’s depot to a fully electric bus depot will be invaluable to this process,” Mr Carroll said.