Transperth is set to introduce Australia’s first locally built electric articulated ‘bendy’ buses to its public transport network.
The two custom-engineered 18-metre vehicles were manufactured at Volgren’s specialised assembly plant in Malaga, located northeast of Perth.
Designed specifically to service the city’s highest-traffic commuter corridors, the extended zero-emission buses are roughly six metres longer than standard fleet models.
This allows them to transport up to 105 passengers simultaneously, a substantial boost from the 80-person capacity of conventional buses.
The high-capacity articulated units can achieve a full electrical recharge in roughly four hours. They are scheduled to begin comprehensive road testing on existing transit routes throughout Perth’s northern suburbs within weeks, before officially entering passenger service around August.
The rollout forms the centrepiece of the state government’s broader Made in WA economic initiative, which leverages the green energy transition to build domestic high-tech manufacturing capabilities.
Volgren’s Malaga facility currently secures more than 100 industrial jobs, including 15 active apprenticeships.
Premier Roger Cook said: “This Australian-first – locally made articulated buses – is just another way my government is prioritising the diversification of WA’s economy.
“We can keep WA the strongest economy in the nation, by making more things here and developing a skilled and productive workforce.
“The transition to locally made electric buses is keeping our economy strong while delivering a greener, cleaner public transport network for the future.”
The transition follows a joint AU$250 million investment from the Australian and Western Australian governments targeting infrastructure upgrades and an initial batch of 130 electric buses.
Transperth has already adapted its Malaga depot and the Elizabeth Quay Bus Station to support heavy-duty electric vehicle (EV) charging.
Construction is also progressing on a dedicated EV depot in Bayswater, alongside electrical grid enhancements at the Jandakot and Karrinyup sites.
With Transperth’s diesel and compressed natural gas fleets being permanently phased out at the end of their operational cycles, every single bus added to the network over the past year has been a locally built electric model.