We were in Tauranga on Saturday, and had the opportunity to look at several of the Kinetic ZEB electric battery fleet.
They seem to be working well.
While the fleet numbers are still low - five out of the 103 buses they operate - it is a move in the right direction, and the charging infrastructure is supporting the network well.
Tauranga while progressing, still trails behind Palmerston North which is the first city in New Zealand to have a full electric bus fleet.
Well done Palmy:)
John Cleese might have said 'Palmerston North is the most boring city in the world'...but I disagree. I have two daughters who live there, we have property there, and it is a great place if you love the outdoors. And now it is the early adopter for ZEBs. Win!
Over dinner at CBK Tauranga, which has some great craft beer and food, we had a discussion around how New Zealand's ZEB policies compare to other countries around the world.
In short, is the country leading the way? Average? Or dragging its heals?
Here is what we discussed.
New Zealand policy mandate
The MOT requirement prohibits new diesel bus purchases from 2025, and targets a fully zero-emission fleet by 2035.
While we still have a view 80% electric 20% diesel is a good way forward, the above is a strong position on EV usage.
What is happening World Wide - eg how does this compare?
There are around 30 countries that have made formal commitments or implemented policies to adopt zero-emission buses as part of their broader climate and public transport strategies.
These range from national-level goals to city-specific initiatives. Countries leading the transition are as follows:
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China: China is home to more than 99% of the world’s electric buses (over 500,000 in operation). Shenzhen has already achieved a 100% electric bus fleet. Ongoing efforts aim to expand electric fleets across other cities.
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European Union (EU): Under the EU Clean Vehicles Directive, all public transport tenders must prioritise low- and zero-emission vehicles. Many member states (e.g., Germany, France, Netherlands) are adopting electric and hydrogen buses to hit carbon neutrality by 2050. The Netherlands plans for fully emissions-free buses by 2030, while Germany has incentivized e-bus adoption with significant funding.
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United Kingdom: The UK aims to achieve a zero-emission bus fleet by 2035, with significant funding allocated under its Bus Back Better programme. Cities such as London have pledged to transition to entirely electric or hydrogen buses by 2030.
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United States: Several states, including California, have mandated full transition to zero-emission buses by 2040, with California’s Air Resources Board (CARB) leading these efforts. Federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill supports nationwide electrification of bus fleets.
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India: India is expanding its electric bus fleet under the FAME-II initiative (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles). Cities such as Pune and Bengaluru are rapidly adding e-buses.
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South Korea: South Korea is transitioning its public transport fleet with heavy subsidies for hydrogen and battery-electric buses, aiming for complete electrification of public buses by 2040.
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Canada: Canada’s target is to have only zero-emission public transit buses deployed by 2030, supported by significant federal investment.
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Australia: Australian states like New South Wales have committed to phasing out diesel buses and achieving a 100% zero-emission fleet by 2030.
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Japan: Japan has started utilizing electric and hydrogen buses, with a goal to decarbonise public transport as part of its broader 2050 carbon-neutral vision.
In addition to the above, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and Chile are adopting electric buses in key cities and Norway and Sweden are working towards zero emission by 2028.
Where Does New Zealand sit?
From review, its clear that:
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100% zero-emission fleet is consistent with the direction world leading countries in this space are going
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The timeframe of 2035 is very ambitious - third most ambitious in the world behind Norway and Australia.
While NZL is up there from a policy perspective, it is important to note that the ambitious timeframe has the potential to sent some challenges.
Potential challenges from going to a zero emission fleet to quickly
The overall goals are great, but by pushing things to quickly, we might find the following challenges:
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High upfront costs: especially a concern given the tight budgets at the moment in New Zealand.
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Limited charging infrastructure and impact on infrastructure available: There is a backlog of charging infrastructure worldwide and moving to quickly may create a scenario where we don't have the charging infrastructure in place, or worse, we have inappropriate and over priced charging infrastructure.
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Operational challenges: Range of vehicles, charging time and maintenance expertise are all issues.
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Technology issues: Battery technology is changing quickly and new technology with faster charging times and longer travel distances will soon be available. By moving to quickly we potentially miss out on this technology.
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Service disruptions: Skilled staff and infrastructure and depot requirements may not be in place. This has the potential to create service disruptions which will impact ridership.
In summary
The overarching New Zealand policy goals are strong and up there with leading countries around the world in the ZEB space.
However, the timeframes are very ambitious and may have unwanted challenges and impacts.
By creating a dynamic timeframe and target, these impacts may be mitigated.
Till next time.
Andrew
p.s. seven actors have played James Bond over the 60 years and 25 movies that have been made - just a fun fact for your Monday:)
Transit Trends · Andrew Collings, KA Advisory. Read and comment on the original on LinkedIn.
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