Sign In / Register
Mahurangi commuters heading into Auckland city will have the chance to travel in a new all-electric luxury coach later this year.
Mahu City Express plans to buy a TCE12 coach from Chinese manufacturer Yutong for its daily Snells Beach to Auckland bus service.
It is believed the TCE12 will be the first electric coach operating a bus service in New Zealand, though there are already some all-electric buses.
Mahu City Express director Julian Ostling hopes to take delivery of the coach in July, assuming there are no complications arising from the coronavirus.
He says the coach features the usual high-end luxury furnishings, including leather reclining seats, carpets, air-conditioning, double-glazing and USB ports.
He says in addition to the environmental benefits of running an all-electric vehicle, the TCE12 will give passengers an even better ride than they have enjoyed previously.
“We try to give our passengers a quality ride anyway, and this will take it up a level. It will be so much quieter and smoother and should make the journey quicker as well,” he says.
There are no plans to increase fares to travel on the TCE12. A weekly pass to commute to Auckland via Mahu City Express is currently $135.
Depending on configuration, the coach has between 40 and 50 seats and has a range of about 300km on a single charge, depending on how the coach is driven and the terrain.
The new coach will replace one of Mahu City Express’s existing coaches. Ultimately, it is hoped to replace all Mahu’s existing vehicles with electric ones.
The TCE 12 costs more than $600,000 and the first one is being co-funded by the Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority (EECA).
Mr Ostling says the authority is eager to see how the TCE12 service works out while securing more exposure for electric vehicles generally. It is also happy Mahu City Express is installing charging stations for the coaches, which can then be used by other motorists.
Mr Ostling says it’s likely Mahu City Express will install a charging station in the carpark at Snells Beach Baptist Church or possibly at Snells Beach School. A second one may be installed in Auckland.
“The more chargers there are, the easier it is for the general public to take up electric vehicles. We believe in them, too. They are the right answer for the future and the environment,” he says.
Mr Ostling hopes to expand Mahu City Express’s fleet of coaches as the population grows and to offer more departure times.
He says future coaches will likely have to be entirely funded by Mahu City Express, but anticipates revenue from fares and charter work will justify the investment.
Mr Ostling remains untroubled by competition from Auckland Transport, which introduced a rival bus service about 18 months ago.
He says initially more budget-conscious passengers who were willing to sacrifice comfort and convenience for a lower price did switch to AT. As a result, passenger numbers on Mahu City Express fell by about 15 per cent. However by last October, passenger numbers had recovered to about what they were previously.
“It did have an impact, but not a catastrophic one fortunately,” he says.
