Western Australia is accelerating the rollout of electric buses across Perth, with a coordinated program that brings together vehicle supply, depot electrification and local manufacturing to support the long-term phase-out of diesel buses from the public transport network.
Led by the Public Transport Authority of Western Australia and supported by the WA Government, the program has moved well beyond trial deployments and into large-scale operational use. The recent delivery of the state’s 100th electric bus reflects how electric buses are becoming embedded in day-to-day Transperth operations rather than treated as a future concept.
A key focus is now on depot readiness. The Jandakot Transperth bus depot is the next site to be upgraded, with a $9.6 million contract awarded to JET Charge to install EV charging infrastructure capable of supporting up to 90 electric buses. Works are expected to begin early next year, with electric buses scheduled to enter service from the depot in late 2026.
Jandakot will be the fifth Transperth site equipped with EV charging infrastructure, following Elizabeth Quay Station and the Malaga and Karrinyup depots. Electric buses are already operating from Joondalup, Elizabeth Quay and Malaga, while Karrinyup is expected to commence electric bus operations in early 2026. Construction is also underway on a new EV bus depot in Bayswater, with plans in place to upgrade Claisebrook as part of the next stage.
The WA approach has been deliberately structured around long-term fleet planning. Depot upgrades are being staged over the next two decades, aligning infrastructure investment with vehicle replacement cycles to enable a full transition away from diesel without compromising network reliability or service levels.
Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said converting depots is central to the transition.
“Converting bus depots across Perth’s suburbs is essential as we phase out diesel buses from our public transport network over the coming two decades,” she said.
“This is all part of our government’s commitment to reshaping public transport in WA by fully transitioning to a locally-made electric bus fleet.”
The vehicle program is being delivered through a long-term supply partnership with Volvo Bus Australia, with electric buses built on Volvo’s electric chassis platform and bodied locally by Volgren at its Malaga facility. The rollout has prioritised operational suitability, including route selection, charging strategy and safety systems, rather than rapid volume deployment.
Each electric bus is capable of travelling up to 300 kilometres on a single charge and is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around 40 tonnes per vehicle per year compared with a diesel bus. The $250 million electric bus program, jointly funded by the WA and Commonwealth Governments, will see an initial 130 diesel and CNG buses replaced by mid-2026.
The transition also marks a clear shift in procurement policy. The final diesel bus built for the Transperth fleet rolled off the production line in May 2025, signalling the end of diesel bus manufacturing for the network and setting the direction for a fully electric future.
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