British bus manufacturer Wrightbus has formally launched its zero-emission bus range in Australia, introducing three electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles for the country’s public transport market.
The company’s Australian offering includes the Kite Electroliner battery-electric single-deck bus, the Kite Hydroliner hydrogen fuel cell single-deck bus and the StreetDeck Electroliner 6×2 battery-electric double-deck bus.
As part of the launch, Wrightbus confirmed that both the Kite Hydroliner and Kite Electroliner have been approved on the Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) procurement panel, allowing eligible operators within the state to procure the vehicles through the established framework.
Wrightbus’ Australian product portfolio has been designed around a high degree of commonality between vehicle types, with more than 85% of components shared between its single- and double-deck zero-emission buses. This approach is intended to reduce spare parts inventory requirements and simplify maintenance training for depot staff.
The buses include a range of passenger accessibility and safety features. These include induction loop systems for hearing aid users, dedicated wheelchair and pushchair spaces, priority seating, blind spot monitoring systems, enhanced driver visibility and front-end crash structures designed to improve protection for pedestrians and cyclists.
Passenger amenities available on the vehicles include optional high-back seating, USB charging points and audio-visual next-stop information systems.
Wrightbus has appointed Daniel Scarpino de Castro and Julian Gurney to lead its Australian operations as the company expands its presence in the region.
The launch forms part of Wrightbus’ wider international growth strategy as demand for zero-emission buses continues to increase in several overseas markets. More than 3,000 Wrightbus battery-electric and hydrogen-powered buses are now in operation worldwide, collectively covering over 200 million kilometres in passenger service.
