Coach & Bus Jan Feb 2023 by Transport Publishing Australia

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SHOW TIME SYDNEY BUS SHOW'S ELECTRIC ATMOSPHERE • MAN'S ZERO EMISSION PLANS

ISSN 2653-1925

• SCANIA'S BRIDGE TO A GREENER FUTURE • BUSWAYS CELEBRATES 80 NOT OUT • H-DRIVE'S AMBITIOUS FUEL CELL PLANS

9 772653 192005 >

SCANIA Hybrid

– your bridge to a zero emissions future There is no single solution for sustainable transport but it’s clear that renewable energy and hybrid technology play an important role. In fact, on some types of routes with frequent stops, hybrid buses simply can’t be beaten when it comes to delivering both carbon and overall emission reductions as well as fuel economy. Our Euro 6 diesel electric hybrid is a multi-purpose solution that lets you run the same high-capacity buses on suburban and suburb-to-city routes alike – even in the most challenging terrain. And increasingly available locally produced biodiesel enables you to combine hybrid technology with renewable fuels, safeguarding your fuel supply while also reducing CO2 emissions by a staggering 80%. Scania Hybrid, your commercially sustainable bridge to a zero emissions future.

For more information contact: Jamie Atkinson: Ian Clarke:

0408 059 501 0438 482 492

www.scania.com.au / youtube.com/ScaniaAustralia Scania currently have vacancies for diesel technicians, please go to our website to find out more.

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001 Drivers Seat

THE PATH TO THE FUTURE JUST BECAME A WHOLE LOT CLEARER

he bus industry is on an interesting path and if you

wanted any evidence of that then you need look no further than the

most likely be the solution and the way to deliver zero emission power. Just to rectify any mis-understandings,

recent Sydney Bus Expo. The Bus Show as you will see in

hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are in fact electrically driven. Some suffer under the misapprehension that hydrogen is burnt

array of technology, particularly in relation to the brave new world of zero emission

Hydrogen fuel cell there is a chemical reaction between an anode and a cathode

our coverage in this issue, was much anticipated and filled with an incredible

buses and coaches. After a break of five years since the last Australian bus show there was an enormous pent up demand for not only an event to showcase the bus industry but a get together for the industry.

The world has moved dramatically in those

past five years. Back in 2017 there was one, maybe two electric buses at the show. In 2022 there were a whole fleet of electric and zero emission buses and they were the absolute talking point for the show. It was much the same at the IAA Transportation Expo in Germany in September where zero emission was

as a clean fuel in an internal combustion engine. That is NOT the case. In a

with oxygen and hydrogen creating an electric current that is fed to the vehicle’s batteries or directly to the electric drive motors to power the vehicle. The only emission or by product from the cell is pure clean water vapour. There are many projects in the offing at the moment, right around Australia, with major corporations, private equity operations and investors preparing to build green hydrogen electrolysers. These split hydrogen from water and capture it ready to be used in various industrial operations including creating fuel for commercial vehicles.

very much front and centre and the focus of just about every manufacturer there.

This all might seem like a pipe dream, however just remember how fast the complexion and the cycles move once they

be the majority power source, a decade

2007 when there was no such thing as a ‘Smart Phone’. That didn’t come about till late that year and inside five years if you

Are you getting the message? Electricity is coming and it is coming very quickly. Sure it is going to take some time for it to possibly two, however it is certain we are on a path that will deliver clean, green zero emission buses and coaches, whether they are battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell. The challenge and the largest hurdle for the entire industry and particularly our governments will be infrastructure,

both charging and far more importantly

electricity supply. Just installing banks of chargers in depots will not be enough. There will need to be large scale increases in green power generation, either wind or solar, along with potentially large scale

solar panel banks at bus depots and yards with battery back up that will enable fleets of buses to be charged overnight or between runs.

Of course for coaches and for buses on longer routes, then hydrogen fuel cells will

start. Just cast your mind back to early

are just one by product of climate change and here in Australia the tragedy and

devastation of bushfires followed by record floods is clearly evident for all of us to see.

So here is to the brave new world of zero emissions. It won’t be easy but then nothing

that is good for us in the long run is. Also in our magazine this edition, along with the full review of the Sydney Bus Show we have stories on MAN’s latest electric bus which it launched at the Sydney Show, we look closely at bus distributor BusStop and the White family’s move to zero emission buses.

We also have a fascinating story on new technology developed in the UK that will

revolutionise the way electric motors used in buses and trucks are made and perform. While on the subject of new tech we have a drive of a hydrogen double deck bus right here in Australia, with the fuel cell powered Wisdom bus sourced from China

disadvantaged and considered a luddite.

being imported by Australian operation, H-Drive. We also take a look back at the eight

a decade. In 1904, the fact is that 95

out as Rowes and has since become Busways, has spent evolving and growing in the bus industry.

didn’t have a smart phone you were severely Go further back and understand that the shift from horse drawn transport to automobiles in the USA took less than

per cent of transport in the USA was by horses or horse drawn carriages. By 1914, the balance had totally turned with automobiles accounting for 95 per cent of transport with good old horses falling

decades of the company that started

All that and a whole lot more in this issue of Coach & Bus, so strap in and enjoy the read. Until next time, stay safe.

back to just five per cent. That is how quick things change when a better solution comes around.

It is not going to be cheap, but the question we need to ask is how much is it

going to cost the planet if we don’t change away from fossil fuels. The last few years of extreme weather events around the globe

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Issue 050

CONTENTS CONTACT DETAILS

FEATURES

PO Box 7046 Warringah Mall NSW 2100

www.truckandbus.net.au admin@truckandbus.net.au Enquiries 02 9938 6408

Publisher Jon Thomson admin@truckandbus.net.au

By any measure 80 years is a long time, particularly in the tough and uncompromising bus transport business. However, Busways, has achieved just that milestone, marking the major anniversary in October, celebrating 80 years of delivering bus services for the Australian public.

28 ELECTRIC MAN

MAN chose the Sydney Bus Expo for the global premiere of its all new Lion Chassis E LF, and along with local distributors, Penske Australia, were determined to make a splash at the show. We spoke with some of the key MAN and Penske execs to find out all about the German brand’s strategy for zero emission buses in Australia.

34 RARE EARTH IS NOT WELL DONE

As we race toward a zero emission future some are questioning the materials needed to create the electric motors and batteries are both hard to extract from the earth and not particularly plentiful. One British start up reckons it is addressing this with a very different type of electric motor that might save the planet on two fronts. We sat down with one of its founders to find out all about Advanced Electric Machines.

Editor in Chief Peter Barnwell peter@truckandbus.net.au Art Director Fiona Meadows fiona@kududesign.com.au Advertising Sales Jon Thomson Mobile: 0418 641 959 admin@truckandbus.net.au Contributing Writers Barry Flanagan, Sven Erik Lindsrand

It had been four long years since the last major bus and coach expo was held in Australia, thanks to the scourge of the Pandemic. When they threw open the doors, everyone probably realised that there would be some emphasis on electric buses but no one could have guessed just how extensive and widespread the embrace of zero emission buses would be. We take a look at the Australasian Bus and Coach Expo and came away impressed.

22 80 NOT OUT

WE’RE BACK BABY

38 MURRAY’S BRIDGE

Transport operators around Australia are focussing on reducing emissions from their bus and coach fleets, and while electric drivelines seem to be the topic de jour across the industry, Scania has some alternatives that may be the bridge to a low carbon emission future. We take a look at one major coach fleet which is resetting the emissions agenda with some innovative thinking.

44 H IS FOR HYDROGEN

We take a look at HDrive’s ambitious plans to bring a Hydrogen bus down under.

44 WHITE TO GREEN

The White Family has a long and proud history in the bus industry over several decades, across a couple of generations. Bus Stop used to be the place to go for Yutong but in recent times it’s taken over the distribution of King Long in Australia. We had a chat with Pete White to find out more about the Whites and their path to a green future.

Contributing Photographers Mark Bean, Cristian Brunelli, Jan Glovac

REGULARS Coach & Bus Magazine is published under licence by Transport Publishing Australia and is distributed to road transport professionals, fleets, business professionals and the industry throughout Australia. All material contained herein including text, photography, design elements and format are copyright and cannot be reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publisher. Grayhaze Pty Ltd is a member of the Copyright Agency Limited (1800 066 844). Editorial contributions are welcome for consideration. Contact the Editor or Publisher for guidelines, fees and level of interest. All unsolicited manuscripts must be accompanied by a stamp, addressed envelope for their return. We will not be held responsible for material supplied electronically. Proudly printed in Australia

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DRIVER’S SEAT

Editor Peter Barnwell has his say on the growing technology tidal wave and what it might mean in the bus world.

06 UP FRONT We wrap up the key local and international bus and coach news that affects us as a global industry and where we are heading.

54 LCV We take a look at the Volkswagen Caddy.

60 COMPANY CAR Scoda Kodiaq RS.

64 MONEY

Paul Clitheroe’s latest advice on finances.

38 44

IN TRANSIT - MAJOR TRANSPORT OPERATOR WINS NEW SYDNEY BUS CONTRACT TRANSPORT OPERATOR Transit Systems has scooped up another major Transport for NSW Sydney bus contract, seeing it retain the contract to operate buses in the Sydney Region 3 area. Transit said the key to it winning and retaining its many Sydney bus contracts has been the improvement it has made in operational performance and customer satisfaction levels. Transit Systems has partnered with Transport for NSW for nearly a decade, and the latest wins will see it retain the Region 3 bus services contract it has operated since 2013, as well as winning the Region 13 bus services for

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routes in Sydney’s South-West including the Lidcombe, Granville, Bankstown and Liverpool areas which will commence from mid-2023. Transit System’s CEO Michael McGee claims that over the past decade it has helped deliver ‘transformational change in NSW public transport’. “The last 10 years in New South Wales public transport has seen some of the greatest shifts in customer behaviour. For example, we have witnessed the impacts on COVID and the change to travel demands in our cities’ CBDs,” McGee claimed. “We have seen the launch of

electric buses and the positive impacts on the customer experience and the local environment. We have also witnessed the introduction of NSW’s smart ticketing system and On Demand services digitization of payment platforms, removing cash from services and offering our customers more convenient ways to book, travel and pay for their journeys,” he said. “We have leveraged our global experience alongside our local capabilities to deliver meaningful improvements to customers and we’re committed to continuing to work with Transport for NSW to

deliver considerable change and improvements to public transport systems to enhance outcomes for all stakeholders,” he added. Having been re-awarded the Region 3 bus services, Transit Systems says it will continue to improve the performance of a service that has already transformed from an under-performing region in 2013 into one of Sydney’s consistently best-performing on-time running regions. “Since transitioning Region 3 in October 2013, we have achieved exceptional on-time running and patronage growth,” he said.

Sustainability beyond emissions With the Volvo BZL Electric

At Volvo Buses, sustainability is about more than just care for the environment – it also extends to social and ethical responsibility. Our Volvo BZL Electric product is a testament to our broader sustainability commitment, as we work towards the UN Development Goals with our trusted global partners, ensuring our electric offering is sustainable in more ways than one. From committing to supply chain audits to uphold responsible material sourcing and ethical labour, to encouraging remanufactured parts and battery circularity, to maintaining stringent data and cyber security, we are striving to ensure our Volvo BZL Electric is sustainable in every sense of the word. So, not only do you get clean, silent and efficient cities when you Go Electric With Volvo, but you contribute to a brighter, more sustainable future for everyone.

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UPSKILL - VOGREN INITIATES PROGRAM TO UPSKILL PERSONNEL TO BATTLE SHORTAGE OF SKILLED TALENT VOLGREN has revealed that more than 60 employees are participating in a company-wide apprenticeship initiative which it says is designed to upskill and develop staff in the areas of automotive manufacturing, electrical technology and supply chain. The company says that all participants who successfully complete the program will receive a nationally recognised Certificate III. CEO of Volgren, Thiago Deiro, said the company was committed to investing in its staff, and this apprenticeship scheme was another example of that

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commitment. “We’re offering opportunities and pathways through on-thejob learning and development programs that lead to nationally recognised qualifications. Our aim is to reward those people dedicated to the business by making sure they have formal qualifications that match their talent and expertise.” Deiro said that 18-month program, which is already underway, coincides with a tightening labour market, as well as a significant technological shift within the bus sector. “There’s a national shortage in

skilled workers at the moment, especially in the manufacturing industry. This program aims to build upon and consolidate skills within the organisation. “It will also make a big difference as Australia transitions to a zero-emission economy, and as the demand for electric buses increases. These buses require a specific set of skills and knowledge to manufacture, and the program will help our staff acquire and advance such skills and knowledge.” Deiro said that the company was proud of its people, their dedication, and had placed a

strong emphasis on human resources for some time. “We’ve put a lot of time and effort into our human resources function over the last several years, and will continue to do so in the future. We’re a company that believes in meritocracy; we celebrate and promote those who perform well, the people who help to enhance our already exceptional reputation. “We know that as we implement new processes and new products, the best way of making a smooth transition is by nurturing committed and engaged employees. This program is another example of how we’re doing that.” The project will take place over 18 months and will include trades such as assembler, fabricator, welders-boilermaker and auto electrician. Deiro said that even at this early stage the program has been well-received. “What I’ve heard from those who’ve commenced the program is that they’re excited to begin the journey and appreciate the opportunity. “Onsite and online sessions began earlier this year and we’re already receiving a lot of positive feedback from trainees.” Volgren is always looking for new apprentices. If you or someone you know is interested in the four-year apprentice program through Volgren, contact.

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GREEN LIGHT - TRANSIT SYSTEM COMPLETES ELECTRIFICATION OF LEICHHARDT DEPOT LEADING TRANSPORT operator, Transit Systems, has partnered with Zenobé and TransGrid, to complete construction of what it claims is Australia’s largest electrified bus depot at Leichhardt in Sydney’s inner west, claiming that it provides a verified blueprint for the future of green transport. The depot is now fully commissioned and operational, and Transit says it is an Australian first at this scale, with a large solar array, base load metering, onsite energy storage system, grid connection and vehicle charging. Transit Systems COO Greg Balkin, who in his previous role with Transit steered the easy stages of the project said the project was made possible by international collaboration, which brought the ‘most advanced technologies from around the world into the Sydney bus network’.

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“Seeing the depot completed is a true milestone for the Australian public transport industry. We have not just set a benchmark, we have generated a blueprint of industry best practice,” Balkin said. “We’re incredibly proud of the outcomes achieved and how we have integrated the technology into a world class depot, while maintaining regular services,” he said. Greg Balkin said one of the best outcomes was realising that the buses do not require as much charging as initially thought. “With regenerative braking, the buses often come back to the depot with a significant amount of charge still available – this is obviously fantastic as it reduces the load on the recharging infrastructure. It also means less downtime for the buses and we can adopt changes within our

network planning to maximise route and energy efficiencies,” he said. The overall project covers 55 electric buses currently operational at the Leichhardt depot and saw and a larger grid connection to the site with an increase of 1.5MVA completed by Ausgrid. Transit says the commissioning of a 1.25MW/2.5MWh Tesla battery system to support the bus charging was also completed, along with a shift to solar power for charging and to minimise impacts on the local grid The commissioning of the large scale 388kW rooftop solar array, also provided green onsite power generation, while the depot’s charger network included 5 x 120kW DC fast chargers and 31 x AC 80kW Chargers The project also included smart

charging software that monitors buses, charging rates, solar consumption, battery charge/ discharge and overall depot electricity energy flows according to Transit. “This is by far Australia’s largest electrified depot and paves the way for Transport for NSW to reach their target and electrify all 8,000 buses across the network, using the latest technology,” said Balkin. “We thank our project partners Zenobé and TransGrid, as well as Transport for NSW, ARENA and CEFC for their support in bringing this project to life – we are all incredibly proud of the achievement,” he added. “We look forward to announcing our next electrification project, taking all of our experience and learnings from this project into the future,” he said.

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KINETIC ENERGY - MAJOR BUS OPERATOR CONTINUES ZERO EMISSION SHIFT NOT WHAT YOU MAY consider to be `early adopters’ the Northern Territory Government is aiming to be first cab off the rank implementing an autonomous passenger vehicle network, announcing last week it will begin trailing driverless vehicles. A six-month trial of the EasyMile EZ10 ‘driverless’ vehicle will take place from the Darwin waterfront to Stokes Hill from early next year. This will make the NT the second state to trial autonomous solutions, with a three-month trial of a bus recently winding up in Western Australia. According to NT Chief Minister, Michael Gunner, the trial will align

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Darwin with modern cities around the world. “Autonomous transport technology is no longer science fiction – it’s here and we are leading the way,” Gunner said. “With this project, the NT Government and Darwin join an exclusive list of jurisdictions worldwide actively developing autonomous transport including Singapore, Dubai/UAE, France, Netherlands, California and Japan. “This project is something I have been interested in for a while now as we need to look towards these technologies as an alternative and niche way of efficiently and safely moving people around precincts

and the CBD – and ultimately, the potential of linking the harbours between Stokes Stokes Hill and Cullen Bay. “This trial will see the vehicle transport people between Stokes Hill Wharf and the Darwin Waterfront, and from there we can look towards future options in the Top End.” The fully autonomous vehicle provides zero emissions when operating, is fully air-conditioned and capable of carrying up to 12 passengers at one time. The vehicle can provide up to 12 hours of operation per charge. Presumably it will be recharged from a solar array making it a

genuaine emissions free vehicle. The first stage of the trial will cost the NT Government approximately $150,000. Autonomous buses have become the flavour of the month for cities around the world, with several other organisations in the country looking at the technology. “The EZ10 vehicle attracted international and domestic notoriety during the Intelligent Transport System World Congress and there are now a dozen International and Australian clients actively seeking vehicles from EasyMile including universities, airports, precincts and shopping centres,” he said.

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Bus Show

It had been four long years since the last major bus and coach expo was held in Australia, thanks to the scourge of the Pandemic. When they threw open the doors of the main exhibition building and the Dome at the Sydney Showgrounds, everyone probably realised that there would be some emphasis on electric buses but no one could have guessed just how extensive and widespread the embrace of zero emission buses would be. We take a look at the Australasian Bus and Coach Expo and came away impressed.

verywhere you looked at the 2022 Australasian Bus and Coach Expo there was a strong zero emission theme underlining the

global trend that was also so apparent earlier in September at the massive IAA Transportation Expo in Hannover. While

Sydney could never be compared with the size of the Hannover Expo, the sentiments were the same.

From the time you walked in the door and

saw the large Volvo stand with a battery electric bus dominating the stand and not an internal combustion engine bus to be seen. It wasn’t so much different at most of the manufacturer’s stands.

At Scania, not surprisingly, they had a bit

of a bet each way, informed by the reality that since most agree internal combustion will be around for some years to come, then we better make those fuel burning engines as clean and environmentally

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friendly as possible. The other Swede brought new products and technology to the Bus Expo, and in fairness the headline act was in fact a

Scania Battery Electric bus chassis, sitting alongside two internal combustion engine machines, with a New Bus Generation K 320 C coach and K 320 C route bus.

One solution that Scania also showed on its stand was a clean biodiesel compatible 550kVa generator, capable of becoming a relatively clean way of remotely charging electric buses where there may not be electric infrastructure to charge them. Sure its not zero emission, but it is as

Scania says a way to the future by ensuring ways of emphasising its wide array of low emission applications. When hooked up with a Scania E-Machine, the biodiesel compatible genset provides the motive

power for the company’s trucks, buses and marine or industrial EV applications.

www.truckandbus.net.au 015

“We’re bringing to life the Scania mantra of the past five years of ‘driving the shift to a sustainable transport system’ with some real-world, ready-to-work technologies that

bus era, but the reality is this will take time, across all levels of planning and implementation. That’s why we have a series of alternative and renewable fuel solutions ready for the Australian market today,” Julian said.

future,” said Julian Gurney, the director of Sales for Scania Buses and Power

emissions, biodiesel is an obvious and real-world ready choice. Our electric-hybrid solution also makes sense because there is

bus operators across Australia can inspect and consider as part of their pathway towards a low or zero tailpipe emissions

Solutions. “Of course, we’re very proud of the New

Bus Generation powertrain and chassis we introduced to the Australian market back in February, and this is the first industry-wide reveal of this new generation technology, but we’re not resting on any dieselpowered laurels.

“For a significant reduction in tailpipe

little or no additional infrastructure required for real-world running. “Our BEV bus chassis in isolation can show what a zero emissions future will look like today, but this technology needs

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Group and thank them for their loyalty to Scania over many years,” said Scania Bus

operators, in order to gain the benefit from running on wholly green energy. We have a range of solutions available; let us know what you want,” Julian says.

switch to a zero tailpipe or zero emissions

“We thought the Expo was a perfect time to highlight the longevity of the Dyson

our customers feel an integral part of the Scania family, Dyson Group has operated as a true family business for 70 years, led

route bus duties. The chassis on display is one that will be put into service in Adelaide by the Department of Infrastructure and

Transport. “We understand there’s a strong desire to

runs 650 buses, many of which are Scanias.

to exist as part of an eco-system, one

ten that have arrived in Australia so far and are in the process of being bodied up for

70 years on employs around 1200 staff and

and Coach’s national sales and contracts manager for Vic, Tas, SA and WA, Jamie Atkinson.

that must be devised, implemented and funded by governments, energy suppliers, public transport bodies, and private bus

“The Scania BEV chassis is one of the

BEVs if the grid can’t supply. Scania is an experienced and trusted global genset supplier. Also at the Expo, Scania honoured the Dyson Group, as the bus operator celebrates its Platinum anniversary. Dysons began with four buses in 1952, and

The Scania 550 kVa biodiesel-compatible generator can be installed at depots to act as standby power for recharging

“Just as we work to make our people and

by several generations of descendants of

the founder, Laurie Dyson. The success of this strategy is clear to see,” Jamie said. As the industry transitions to be more environmentally aware, Dyson Group has ordered a significant number of electric-

“ THIS SYDNEY SHOW IS ABOUT OUR LATEST TECHNOLOGY AND LONG-TERM VISION FOR THE FUTURE”

hybrid, bio-diesel compatible Euro 6 bus chassis from Scania which will be delivered over the next 12-18 months. “We congratulate Dyson Group on this

environmental care and sustainability, focussing around the BZL chassis. “Here in Sydney and NSW, the state government has flagged it’ll only be

To prove the BCI buses, a few weeks ahead of the Sydney show, BCI CEO Desmond Armstrong decided to have the buses shipped to Melbourne rather

Over the aisle at the rival Volvo Bus’ stand, the other Swede showcased its BZL

this Sydney show is about our latest technology and long-term vision for the

proved that the buses could take charge,

milestone anniversary and look forward to continuing the relationship with the next generation of leaders,” he said.

Electric chassis with a body built by NSW North Coast based body builder, Express. It’s a new direction for Volvo Bus Australia, and general manager Mitchell

Peden was excited about it. “The Volvo BZL Electric, is our first fully electric chassis in Australia, but it’s the first time we’ve displayed the body design with Express,” said Peden. “This chassis allowed us particularly highlight the New South Wales regional

build capabilities of our models to demonstrate how we can build in NSW, for the NSW rural and regional market.” Volvo also showcased its latest safety and quality assurance advances as well as some significant dialogue around

procuring electric vehicles ongoing in the city environment, and while Volvo has a strong history with diesel buses,

future,” Peden said. “We’re keen to show our ability to build with a NSW-based partner to bring to market a product tailored for the NSW

regional area,” Peden said. “Being an innovation leader, we want to take part in these conversations going

forward and we welcome everyone to see

our vision for the future at the Expo,” He added.

Nearby at the BCI stand the electric theme was continued, but it wasn’t easy for the WA based company to mount

its exhibit. Just to deliver its three electric models

to the Sydney stand the BCI team had to endure an amazing experience.

than to Sydney. “We decided to stage a test with a local charging station in Melbourne and once we our entire sales team travelled down to Melbourne and we drove the buses up to Sydney,” said Armstrong. Bustech made a splash on its stand

attracting the potential next Premier of NSW, Chris Minns to the stand, with the

Labor leader making a commitment to back local manufacturing in NSW for future major transport contracts. With a string of transport procurement

disasters on its hand the current NSW administration’s policy to purchase buses, trains and ferries from overseas has given it plenty of headaches.

Minns said if his party is elected in March then they want to design engineer and manufacture transport infrastructure, including electric buses in NSW.

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Bustech with its own electric chassis and with body building expertise here in Australia as proven at its Queensland and South Australian factories, said it stands willing and able to start a facility in NSW, to meet the big demand the state faces in meeting the goal of replacing the 8000

strong fleet, with zero emission buses in a relatively short time frame. Bustech COO and general manager of Queensland operations , Martin Hall

said that while the company can produce about 200 buses a year with its current

setup, he believes the capacity is endless, with the possibility of double shifts and expanded production facilities, so long as the company can attract enough skilled

workers, which is an even bigger challenge. Martin Hall boasts of Bustech’s revitalised and advanced engineering team including talent recruited from various advanced engineering areas including from Supercar racing teams. On the stand Bustech showed the fruits of that engineering team displaying its ZDI-450 , which it described as its next

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generation in connected zero emission transit. The electric ZDI-450 on show has a 452 kWh battery capacity, which Bustech claims to be the most powerful of its kind in the Australian market featuring a rapid charge time of just two hours, with

a capacity for 45 seated and 21 standing passengers.

Bustech has constructed the ZD-I chassis from marine-grade stainless steel and say it has tested for more than 300 million km, which seems quite a lot, and must have

taken a long time to log up, however ten of the new electric buses are currently under order with the first having already been delivered to Clarks Logan Bus Service.

“Public transport is one of the biggest producers of greenhouse gas emissions.

If we want to protect the environment, we

need to move on this now,” said Martin Hall.

International Bus of the Year 2023 and according to Penske the Lion Chassis E LF complements MAN’s existing offering with one of the most technologically-advanced diesel buses on the Australian market.

“We were thrilled to unveil MAN’s all-new electric chassis to the Australian market for the first time,” said Crinel Geaboc, head of MAN bus and coach, at Penske Australia.

“Both Penske Australia and MAN Truck & Bus have firm strategies to be recognised as industry leaders in the electric space. “With a history of strong bus and coach offerings with our innovative Euro 6

engines, the new Lion Chassis E LF rounds

out our portfolio to include zero emission solutions for our customers. “We know the industry has deadlines over the coming years to convert their fleets to electric technology, and with the Lion

German maker MAN along with its

Chassis E LF, we’re in a position to make their transition straightforward.

chassis, at the show. The MAN Lion City E recently won

entry RC2 chassis powered by its 330 hp D15 engine and equipped with a Custom

distributor Penske revealed its all-new Lion Chassis E LF, a fully electric low-floor

In addition to the Lion Chassis E LF, MAN’s stand at the show included the low

Denning body, along with the intercity/ coach RR8 chassis powered by the first MAN 360 hp D15 engine in Australia and fitted with an Irizar i6 coach body.

While MAN had a strong showing at the Expo, Mercedes Benz lacked a good deal of innovation showing a diesel coach,

developed in partnership with Portuguese bus manufacturer CaetanoBus and using the Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell system generating electricity to power the electric motors with the bus emitting only water

from the exhaust. Matt Macleod, Toyota Australia’s manager

underlining some of the frustrations the German maker has been having with

of energy solutions, said Toyota imported

American manufacturing facility along with

“Toyota is committed to exploring all opportunities for hydrogen fuel cell

the bus to showcase its technology and says

city bus uses five 7.5kg hydrogen tanks to supply the 60kW fuel cell stack. When the hydrogen is combined with oxygen from the atmosphere in the fuel cell, a

chemical reaction generates electricity to drive a 180kW/2500Nm permanent-magnet synchronous electric motor. Refuelling the bus to its full 37.5kg

it is currently exploring trial opportunities with commercial bus operators.

hydrogen capacity takes between 10 and 15 minutes at 350 bar pressure, giving the bus a range of approximately 450km.

about bus widths moving to 2.55 metres, instead of the Euro restrictive 2.5 metres

applications in Australia and we already have several Mirai FCEV sedans leased by leading organisations,” said Macleod.

dollars in funding to help develop hydrogen refuelling infrastructure in Australia. Toyota says it also has its own hydrogen

Despite appearing to be out of love with its commercial vehicle subsidiary Hino, Toyota

commercial space where we believe hydrogen fuel cells can play a big role, so by importing this bus that is already in use

the Citaro electric bus it wants to bring here. With production delays at its South continuing delays on a rational decision

we endure here. I am sure we will hear more of this.

had one of its hydrogen fuel cell buses on the Hino stand, showing the technology it used at last year’s Tokyo Olympics.

Toyota said it was working to grow awareness of the many applications for fuel cell technology with the H2 City Gold bus

“Heavy transport and buses are another

in Europe, we are demonstrating that as

infrastructure develops, there is a readymade solution for more sustainable public transport,” he said.

Toyota says the 10.74m, 34-seat low-floor

Federal and state governments around the country have committed millions of

production, storage and refuelling

facility capable of accommodating both passenger cars and commercial vehicles at the Toyota Hydrogen Centre at Altona in Melbourne’s west.

Toyota/Hino wasn’t the only bus maker showing hydrogen power at the Sydney Show with BLK showing its first HDrive fuel cell bus.

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“This is our greatest achievement so far, HDrive is about to launch as its own brand and here at the Expo we’re launching the HDrive range of vehicles,” said BLK Auto’s Jason Pecotic. The 7.5-metre hydrogen fuel cell electric CitiBus was front and centre on the BLK

Bonluck buses and BCI,” Pecotic said.

“We’re also showing a HDrive vehicle from Hong Kong that we thought looked like a van, so we had it wrapped to look like a prison transport vehicle for some

Auto stand, which is proof of the brand’s

variation,” Pecotic added. Pecotic says the HDrive vehicles would also be ideal as an on demand bus for

“We were lucky to sell two hydrogen fuel cell trucks, one for PepsiCo and the second for waste management company,

age bus shown to many at the Expo, Pecotic says the vehicle has received a huge amount of interest as trials are about

environmental direction, according to Pecotic.

JJ Richards.

“Moving forward, HDrive will become its own entity for hydrogen vehicles only, such as this bus.” Pecotic said HDrive represents the wider brand of Wisdom Motor that operates out of China. Wisdom Motor was created in 2019 when Su Liqian entered into a partnership with Hong Kong operator Templewater. This resulted in the HDrive trucks and buses that BLK Auto are beginning to unveil and deliver. “The HDrive bus we have here comes

courtesy of Su’s experience in the Chinese market, as well as his experience with

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Yutong had a packed stand with lots of new models including its latest D7 minibus along with its latest new electric bus which it launched.

“We’re excited to be showing off our new D7 minibus,” said Yutong general manager Lou Riccardi.

operators around Australia. With the new

But the main focus at the Expo for Yutong and its Australian distributor, Vehicle

to commence with potential customers in

operations. Riccardi said Yutong wanted to prove to the industry that it is progressing

New South Wales and beyond. “Certain transport bodies have come to us and expressed their interest in buying the HDrive bus from us and lease it to operators, with the bus able to go from a

12-seater through to a 24-seater. Alongside the HDrive models, BLK Auto

showed its President 2 double decker along with its battery electric City Star bus. BLK Auto said it is emphasising its focus

on local content to provide high quality

products to the Australian market underlining the fact that it is continuing to produce a chassis for its partnership with Volgren.

Dealers International (VDI), was its new electric bus aimed at school and mining

with zero-emission vehicles and is a market leader with its electric innovation. “We wanted to showcase the advantages that Yutong has in the electric space and to show what we’ve done in terms of vehicle design and in the electric market globally,” said Riccardi. All in all the Show was a massive display of confidence and a huge bounce back from the past two years of pandemic issues and difficulties, and shows that we have a vibrant bus industry that is well

equipped to tackle the challenges of a zero emission future.

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By any measure 80 years is a long time, particularly in the tough and uncompromising bus transport business. However one Australian bus operator, Busways, has achieved just that milestone, marking majors anniversary in October, celebrating 80 years of delivering bus services for the Australian public. We take a look at Rowes and track its succsess.

hen 18 year old Dick Rowe customised a car to operate a passenger service in the western suburbs of

Sydney at Plumpton in 1942, few would have known that 80 years later that despite those humble origins, the enterprise would have grown into one of Australia’s largest privately held bus operations. From those humble beginnings, when Dick Rowe turned his five seater Dodge

into his first bus,the foundations were set for an enduring Australian business now

operating more than 1300 buses over more than 62 million kilometres in passenger trips every year. Today Busways is the largest wholly

Australian owned bus operator with 2600 employees, operating 14 bus contracts across 20 depots in Greater Sydney, the NSW Central Coast, regional NSW and Adelaide. Current Busways managing director, Byron Rowe, feels privileged to be the third generation of the Rowe family to lead the business.

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“Eighty years is a milestone that makes us reflect on where we’ve come from and where we’re going,” Byron said. “A constant theme has been listening to customers and working closely with manufacturers and industry partners to innovate in new fleet design, onboard technology and safety features, to continuously improve services.

“We remain deeply invested in the provision of exceptional passenger

1930 LaSalle, a seven-passenger 1929 Studebaker and later a seven-passenger 1937 Dodge. He acquired his first bus,

a 21-seat 1935 Reo, in 1946. Rowes Bus Service initially grew through acquisitions and partnerships, keeping pace with the growing urban centres of Western Sydney. Following the formation of the first

partnership with St Marys bus operator

services in Australia,” Byron explained. Back in 1942, with a keen eye for

Fred Bowman to operate the ParramattaVillawood service in 1958, Rowes Bus Service took on new routes and absorbed

the help of his engineer dad, Cyril, Dick

and Howell in Campbelltown in 1967, Riverstone Bus Services in 1984, Higletts

opportunity, Dick purchased the five-seater Chrysler 70 for the grand sum of £120 to provide transport for his local area. With equipped the new vehicle with a wartime-

several existing companies over the next four decades. These included Baker

mandated gas producer, a washing

of Camden in 1986, Sergeants of Wyong in 1990 , and a number of Blue Ribbon

omnibus-style transport service between

of the new company name Busways,

machine-sized device that converted charcoal – ‘black gold’ – to fuel. With this golden opportunity he started his Rooty Hill and Plumpton.

By 1946, Dick had four different

cars, including a seven-passenger

Coaches services in Swansea in 1992, plus parts of Leslie’s Omnibus Service in 1993. Coinciding with the introduction the acquisition of Peninsula Buslines in Gosford in 1994 brought with it three depots and 70 buses -the largest influx

of vehicles for the company at that point. This was trumped by the purchase of King Brothers on the North Coast in 2003, which doubled Busways’ fleet to 600 buses. The acquisition of Kulnura Bus Lines

and Palmers Yarramalong (2009) helped

achieve economies of scale on the Central Coast bus network. In 2020, Busways expanded interstate

paneling, keeping the weight of the vehicle to a minimum to reduce fuel consumption and to improve tyre wear. This was the first bus body CCMC built for a private operator and signaled the start of a strong relationship between the two companies. In 2021, Busways beta tested and was the

first operator to purchase Custom Denning’s Element electric bus, which is still built

the decade from 1990, Busways acquired more than 200 new Mercedes Benz 0405 vehicles, built by Custom Denning, and then

between 2005 and 2012 it added more than 200 Euro4 MAN buses with bodies built by Adelaide manufacturer Bustech. While in the last five years, the company has purchased

Outer South bus service contract. A year later Busways was awarded one of the

locally in St Marys in western Sydney. Some of the big changes in the business over the years include the evolution in the

more than 200 new Volvo and Mercedes Euro 5 and Euro 6 buses, with bodies built by both Custom and Volgren. After seven decades of growth through acquisition of buses and other bus

and West bus contract, extending from Parramatta into the Sydney CBD and including the state’s largest bus depot

other private Australian operator. Later in

renegotiation with incumbent operators.

with the award of the Adelaide Metro

former State Transit operated North Shore

at Ryde.

One of Dick’s foundational principles right from the start was to operate a reliable, wellbuilt and stringently maintained fleet. So in

1958, Dick approached Villawood-based bus builders Cycle Components Manufacturing Company (CCMC), later to be known as Custom Coaches and today Custom

Denning. For £2,425 he ordered a Leyland Comet, which he requested in aluminum

fleet. Between 1978 and 1981, Dick started moving away from Leylands, purchasing 30 brand new Volvo B58s, more than any 1982, Rowes became the second private operator in NSW to own an articulated, or ‘bendy’, bus. The Swiss-built Volvo seating 69 passengers was a hit with eight more

procured in 1986, having been imported by Volvo after they had been used at Expo 85 in Tsukuba in Japan. By this time Dick’s sons Stephen and Richard joined the business and would go on to take the helm in the 1990s. In

companies, a new era arrived as state governments moved to an open tender process replacing bus service contract

Busways achieved initial success, doubling its Sydney operations with the award of the Region 1 contract for Western Sydney in 2013, followed by the keenly felt loss of the Region 15 contract after servicing the Campbelltown area for 47 years. By this time, Dick’s grandson Byron

Rowe had joined the business. It was under his leadership as managing director that Busways partnered with the NSW

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Government, Coffs Harbour City Council, and automated vehicle manufacturer

EasyMile, to design and run an automated vehicle trial on the north coast in regional NSW. The project kicked off in 2019 and achieved its goal of operating the world’s first fully autonomous public passenger service, known as BusBot.

In 2019, Busways worked with Transport for NSW and mobility as a service software provider Via to introduce Cooee Busways, an app-powered on demand public transport service. It launched with a fleet of six Hino Ponchos in western Sydney

suburb, The Ponds, linking to the new Sydney Metro North West. The service is one of the most successful first and last mile on demand services in the world,

named the ‘gold standard for On Demand’ by global management consultant LEK Consulting and winning Australian Business awards for Service Innovation and CX Management in 2020. “The next frontier is zero emission buses,” said Byron Rowe.

“It’s a major shift – we’ve been rethinking how depots are planned and operated to support an electric fleet since 2018, taking delivery of Custom Dennings’ first locally manufactured electric bus in 2021,” he said. “We now have 12 of their electric buses at our Penrith depot, with charging infrastructure and we are also trialling a unique Australian-developed solution for

managing charging of batteries within the existing energy grid and preparing for rollout

of ZEBs in other depots,” he added. Reflecting on what it means to lead the company into its ninth decade, Byron says it is an exciting time to be a transport operator, with greater demand and opportunities for high quality, responsive bus services.

“Our vision is to continue being a committed, passionate and pragmatic partner to government, and an operator that sets high standards of safety and

quality through trusted partnerships with vehicle manufacturers and industry,” Byron said.

“Our team works hard to deliver safe, reliable and comfortable services to customers. We have thrived because

we value our relationships and recognize

quality, which has a positive flow-on effect with our customers.” “We take this opportunity to thank our clients, customers, suppliers and

employees for their on-going support throughout our 80 year history. We look

forward with great excitement to the future of the bus industry in Australia.”

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“ WE VALUE OUR RELATIONSHIPS AND RECOGNIZE QUALITY, WHICH HAS A POSITIVE FLOW-ON EFFECT WITH OUR CUSTOMERS”

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New Technology

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he realisation that the world has to shift away from fossil fuel in an attempt to head off an existential crisis brought on by global

climate change, is something that dawned in Europe well ahead of the more recent change in attitude here in Australia.

For European based bus and truck

makers the need to develop zero emission battery electric buses has been afoot for

some years, and for the VW Traton owned brand, MAN, it has been an imperative.

Locally MAN’s distributor in Australia and

NZ, Penske, has also sharpened its focus to meet the expected rush in demand

particularly, from state transit authorities,

many of whom who have proclaimed some bold targets for de-carbonising their fleets. Significantly, MAN made the massive

decision to give its latest Lion Chassis E LF, fully electric low-floor bus its global

premier at the Sydney Bus Show. It was a massive honour for this country and

emphasizes the fact that Penske Australia and MAN are very serious about getting more of its electric buses on the streets of our major cities.

Penske Australia’s executive general

manager for on-highway, Craig Lee said the move to a battery electric future for our city

buses is the most obvious place to start the journey to zero emission transport.

“I mean in city bus, it’s a no brainer,

along with the refuse and agitator market in trucks, but you go to mainstream zero emission, such as longer distance and

heavy operations and it is just such a long stretch in this country,” said Craig Lee.

Craig Lee headed up an impressive team

from Penske and from MAN in Europe

at the Sydney Bus Expo, including Lutz Siebeling, product management and

body builder development manager, for

MAN Truck and Bus in Germany, Sylvain Messiant, MAN’s head of sales bus

international, Christian Fischer, MAN’s vice president, head of sales management and international key accounts for bus, and of

course Penske Australia’s newly appointed head of bus and coach, Crinel Geaboc,

MAN chose the Sydney Bus Expo at the start of October for the global premiere of its all new Lion Chassis E LF, a fully electric lowfloor chassis city bus, and along with local distributors, Penske Australia, were determined to make a splash at a show that was chock full of new tech. We spoke with some of the key MAN and Penske execs to find out all about the German brand’s strategy for zero emission buses in Australia.

who comes to Penske from Voith and has a vast knowledge of bus and coach.

“We are very proud that we were able

to be together, thanks to the Penske team,

to present our MAN Lion Chassis E LF here for the first time,” said Christian Fischer.

“We had good discussions many months

ago, and so Penske decided it was right to be here at the Sydney show and we

pushed it a lot internally at MAN for sure,” Fischer added with a smile.

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The Lion’s E Chassis is basically the bus chassis version of The Lion’s City Battery Electric complete buses we sell in Germany

took us a little bit longer to come to the market with this chassis, and based on our

coveted Best City Bus of the year award in Europe at IAA Transportation in Hannover

a need in the market.”

and across Europe, and we have been very successful in the last two years since launching the Lion City, which also won the

in September, and may I say there was a great deal of competition with all the big OEMs,” said Christian Fischer.

Fischer is quick to point out that MAN

won the same award at the last IAA in

2018 as well, so it was no fluke and points to the esteem the MAN bus range is held in Europe. “This time I think it was awarded the

prize because of its efficiency which is absolutely necessary for our customers,” he said. “So what you see here in Sydney is the

only battery electric chassis at this fair, that was able to drive in under its own power,” he added. “I think it’s important to know that it

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tradition, let me say German engineering

tradition, there was strong competition internally, my thought was to come earlier with something because there was such “But I’m very happy that finally it is here

now with a complex and efficient product,

from battery packaging systems, to the accurate technology and the efficiency of the bus overall, and I think this is something which is really usable for customers in different markets, and especially for the markets here in Australia.”

“I might say we have also sold diesel buses in those places as well and for

sure they are built to work in high climate environments,” he added. “Climate has an impact on the mileage of an electric bus for sure, but our test

shows us that we can easily handle 200km,

but certainly in most situations they can achieve 250 to 350 km but with 480 kilowatt hours of batteries on the roof you can have roughly 400 kilometres,” Fischer said.

“An average range is important because

when you measure performance, because you need to understand the consumption,

Fischer admits that Australia is a very different market to Europe, not just in terms

and the range is also dependent on the driving style, and with that in mind there is a lot to be gained from driver training that

he says is a challenge for any electric bus make on a broader scale.

helps customers to achieve better range and more efficiency.” Fischer says that in implementing new

Abu Dhabi,” said Fischer.

to be strong planning and analysis of the energy consumption for the routes, training of drivers, specifying the number

of awareness for electric and take up of it at the moment, but also climatically, which

“However we are selling buses all around the world, and Australia is not that different in terms of climate to say Barcelona, or in

comes with the MAN product and which

electric buses to fleets fleet there needs

of batteries and the range that operators want to achieve are all important in getting the best efficiency out of an electric bus.

services to help customers to transit from the diesel conventionals to electric buses. Helping to achieve the ambitious

“That’s why this collaboration has come about with the global premier of this bus

reliable range using only 65 per cent of the capacity of the battery bank, which is

possibly by 2035, is the goal of achieving a 50 per cent reduction in carbon.

vision at Penske Australia, that we’re

“Extended range options can also be deployed using up to 80 per cent of the battery capacity, or you can have a

guaranteed for the life of the battery, which is eight to ten years,” said Fischer. “The scenario would be to have only one set of replacement batteries replacement in the 20 plus years life of the vehicle. The warranty of the batteries is currently eight years and that will eventually increase to 10 years which will reduce that total cost of ownership of the bus and that is really important,” he added. MAN’s electric buses have managed

to achieve way more than 350 kilometres, in fact one test result saw them exceed 550 kilometres, although Fischer says they won’t make such bold claims.

In the implementation of the new Lion Chassis E LF MAN is supplying mobility

goals announced by Australian state governments, particularly NSW, which wants to transition out of its diesel buses

MAN says that now with its electric chassis it has 30 per cent local content, and it does that by counting such elements as after sales, training and shipping, which some may question, but clearly the company values all of those elements. Local Penske boss of on highway

operations, Craig Lee says the local operation completely supports government strategies to decarbonise our cities, and thinks it is an admirable aspiration.

“We are committed to that, we are committed to growing our MAN portfolio

extensively in truck and bus and buses are strategic for us, Australia and New Zealand are very strategic to MAN and it has recognised them as important markets.

and the markets that we are continuing to grow,” said Lee. “Those are not just words being said by MAN, we actually have a strategic

working towards at the highest levels of MAN and Penske globally,” he said.

“We’re very motivated by this and not just with electric, because we see that diesel is going to play a major role for some time to come,” Lee added.

Penske also had MAN Euro six buses on display at the Sydney show, and says they will be an important ongoing part of

the market in Australia for years to come, particularly with coaches. “People forget that Euro six is very clean, in fact it’s incredibly clean, and we

recognise domestically that we need clean internal combustion engines to eliminate all of the challenges that Australia is going to be faced around range, operating conditions, availability of charging,

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infrastructure and capacity,” said Craig Lee.

“We recognise all of those challenges, which is why we will continue to run our

2024 we plan to be in supply of our 2.5 metre wide bus in Australia,” said Craig Lee. The Penske executives believe that a move to a 2.55 vehicle width is still being

about different packaging, and different levels of kilowatt hours available in the

diesel and Penske absolutely wants to get more than our fair share in our market,”

last country with 2.5 vehicle width in the southern hemisphere.

electrical infrastructure of depots and the lead times that are involved in getting a bus

regional and our metro fleets and regional non metro fleets, with a strong focus on

he said. Lee said governments have to continue

investing in zero emission and thinks it doesn’t just need investment, saying that it needs government policies to help meet the infrastructure needs and to ensure

bodybuilders have the capacity to meet those targets.

“So our strategy for the nest two years is that 2023 is very much about getting the

product well and truly tested and developed for Australia from a dimensional and an application specific perspective. Then in

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buses,” he added.

closely guarded by local content and bus builders, which is why we are still the

Lee said that in terms of volumes, the industry has to also be mindful about integration of the electric buses into the

“I think that we will have both products available in the medium term, so we will

depot converted from a diesel operation to a base for electric buses.

have 2.5 metre electric buses here from the first of January 2023, but 2023 is very much a year of development, testing and verification, we won’t have any 2.5 metre electric buses selling in 2023,” Lee said. “So alongside our product roadmap,

we are not standing still, EV technology is

moving very fast, so our plans on product procurement also involves the high floor or intercity version with updated battery technology, so that means we are talking

So it’s really 24 months from the moment a bus operator decides to place the order

to when you can actually put your buses on the road, including getting the approvals and putting in a bigger energy supply, to the various development approvals and

to actually put the infrastructure into the depot. That includes cabling, upgrading substations, installing chargers, it is all going to be a massive challenge,” Lee emphasised.

“So transition from diesel to electric won’t

take just five minutes, and it’ll be a lengthy transition.”

MAN like the other Traton subsidiary, Scania appears to be lukewarm about the

prospects of Hydrogen fuel cell as a zero emission technology, and Craig Lee said he doesn’t believe Hydrogen is something that they may end up focusing on at this point.

“MAN recognises it as a potential solution at this point and they certainly have one eye on it, but from a bus perspective, at this point, the focus is very much on battery electric,” said Craig Lee.

Christian Fischer took up the line from a MAN factory perspective saying that

hydrogen is a challenge for the European market in getting sufficient supplies of green hydrogen and for it to be cost relevant on the same level as BEV, and he doesn’t believe this will happen any time soon.

“Hydrogen is available, but it’s much,

much more costly, so it doesn’t fit the cost

performance and efficiency is that it’s well

green, is also a challenge,” said Fischer. “Today, it’s not realistic but let’s say it’s something that is not feasible today, but

The maximum capacity of the roof top battery used in the e Lion is currently 480

expectation of the customers and to get it

let’s see what the future brings,” he added. From January 2024 MAN says it will have an intercity electric bus available, although it will be 2.55metres wide with exactly the same driveline and with its batteries located in the luggage bins rather than on the roof as in the city buses. MAN’s battery technology benefits from

its family ties to Volkswagen, as part of the German auto giant’s Traton commercial vehicle arm, using VW’s new Battery Development Centre in Nuremberg, so

the battery technology is designed and approved by VW when it is used in Traton vehicles according to Fischer “So what that means in terms of safety,

proven under the highest specification,” he said.

kilowatts from a bank of six batteries, however it’s a modular system which

allows for batteries to be removed to increase payload with the trade off being less range. This allows flexibility across various bus lengths with a shorter bus

being able to run perhaps four batteries, a

longer one potentially five and a long bus up to six batteries in the modular system. The batteries used are the latest water cooled NMC technology.

Its clear that MAN is serious about being a

part of the battery electric bus revolution in Australia and the fact that it gave this new electric bus its world debut in Sydney is a pretty good measure of that seriousness.

ABOVE: The MAN team at the Sydney Show, (from left) Lutz Siebeling, MAN product management and body builder development manager, Sylvain Messiant, MAN head of sales bus international, Christian Fischer, MAN vice president, head of sales management and international key accounts for bus, Penske executive general manager and for on highway, Craig Lee and Penske head of bus and coach, Crinel Geaboc,

“ SO WHAT THAT MEANS IN TERMS OF SAFETY, PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY IS THAT IT’S WELL PROVEN UNDER THE HIGHEST SPECIFICATION”

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Technology

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As we race toward a zero emission future some are questioning how we can achieve this with our massive vehicle fleet when many of the materials needed to create the electric motors and batteries are both hard to extract from the earth and not particularly plentiful. One British start up reckons it is addressing this with a very different type of electric motor that might save the planet on two fronts. We sat down with one of its founders to find out all about Advanced Electric Machines.

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ritish based specialist electric motor technology company, AEM, was spun off from Newcastle University and is on a mission to change. the global automotive and aviation industries away from using rare earth magnets in high tech zero emission power trains. It wants to switch to electric motors

predict there will be 20 million electrified vehicles on global roads by 2025. AEM was a spin off from one of the epicentres of advanced electric vehicle development globally, Newcastle University. Newcastle found itself at the centre of electric vehicle power thanks to a century old legacy as a leader in the field of electric

Dr James Widmer and Dr Andy Stevens first pioneered the technology that underpins Advanced Electric Machines’ proposition. Drs Stevens and Widmer were a part of the electric motor research and development centre within the university when it was decided to spin it off in 2017 as a commercial entity.

Instead of demolishing a mountain to source a meagre amount of rare earths for

benefitting the most from this global move towards electrification, thanks in part to the

in the way that it has, and that the North

using the two most abundant metals on earth, aluminium and steel.

a growing demand in electric motors, the company, Advanced Electric Machines, believes economically, environmentally and on an efficiency basis its solution will be

better on every level. Coach & Bus met with Advanced Electric Machines’ (AEM) co founder Dr James Widmer for a briefing on the company

when he was in Australia recently, where it came from where it is going and its ideas and philosophy on the electrification of the World’s transport operations. Widmer pointed out that last year around

450,000 electric and hybrid vehicles were registered in the UK– and that represents a one in four ratio for all new cars and vans. While three new cars in every four rely

totally on internal combustion engines, the numbers are swinging toward electric with a rapid year on shift.Meanwhile some experts

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motor development. Of all areas of the UK, the North East of England is already

work at Newcastle Uni.

Aided by the introduction of the Nissan Leaf–arguably the world’s first massmarket EV–which entered production at the company’s Sunderland facility near

Newcastle in 2010, the region now boasts burgeoning electric vehicle expertise. At the same time that Nissan began

production of the Leaf more than a decade ago, it also opened a local facility to

produce the vehicle’s battery cells. This spawned smaller companies that both

supplied and fed off Nissan’s plant–such

“Back in 2010 it was hard to imagine that the electric vehicle industry would grow up East would become such a relevant part of its future,” Dr Widmer said. “As well as the gravitational pull of

Nissan’s electrification program, this was also thanks to several academic and industry initiatives,” he added. However while Widmer and AEM

maybe based in England, the company is aggressively pursuing opportunities around the world and of course here in

Australia with a variety of enterprises,

including potentially local bus makers and commercial vehicle makers.

AEM is now recognised across the globe

as Sunderland-based Hyperdrive, which repackaged the plant’s battery cells into bespoke applications.

for its rare-earth free, high performance electric motors and powertrain systems.

largest academic research group in electrical power, and so it was within this

of our overall mission to make the world’s EVs sustainable, but to get a picture of how

Newcastle University boasts the UK’s

The journey to get to this point has not been simple, and we’re still only at the start

group, and as faculty at the university, that

everything began for us, let’s rewind to 2009.

Dr. Widmer, was an aerospace expert with BAE Systems, when he decide to go back to university to do a PhD and to aim to work in more sustainable technologies. It wasn’t an easy venture, given at that time electric vehicles were only just beginning to look like a feasible possibility. Andy Stevens was also working at the uni at the time and was an expert in rotating machinery and transmission technologies, with a long and

successful stint in industry. Both Andy and James, were seeking to pursue their passion

they contain, meaning many would end up in landfill. This led the pair to question the possibility of removing the rare earths and

the copper from the motor, and creating a fully recyclable solution. This would become

the eventual mission statement of Advanced Electric Machines. James and Andy’s work eventually led the pair to a realisation that they had developed a commercially viable product that had the chance to change the world.

for developing sustainable technologies in an increasingly unsustainable world.

So in March 2017 Advanced Electric Machines. was spun out of Newcastle University and into the commercial world.

electric vehicle solutions, and he realised that

an easy way to achieve a goal, but it’s very flawed in lots of ways. For a start when you put these magnets on the spinning part of

Back then James noticed that vehicle manufacturers were looking to employ permanent magnet motors as part of their

“The problem with rare earths is that it’s

commercial operations including trucks and buses, particularly given the often high ambient temperature and demanding conditions that face operators here, with buses and coaches as well as heavy trucks up to and including road trains in outback areas.

“We see a lot of potential in Australia and we have a focus on this part of the world,” he said. The company currently has a sales office in Bangkok, where is senior business development manager for the region, David Hunter is based.

”We’re in discussion with a lot of OEMs looking to buy this latest generation of

electric motor technology, we’ve got another

the motor. it’s where it’s the most difficult to get heat out of, they’re great when they’re

generation we’re looking at for quite a lot of the big global companies to see if they can use the technology and there doesn’t seem

rare earth-free electric motors, supporting the first-generation development of OEM

“So AEM’s motors do not use magnets at all instead using the combination of steel

and currently has a production line which

the Advanced Propulsion Centre’s Electric Machines Spoke, a role in which he would

good performance out of it, we have a patented way of making coils that go around the motor, it makes it lighter, more efficient

if these vehicles were to become the norm,

the quantity of rare earth metals needed could become catastrophic for the environment. James began to research and develop

vehicles with JLR, Airbus and Cummins in the process. He became the director of

meet , Mike Woodcock, who acknowledged another limitation of the use of permanent magnet electric motors – the lack of a route

to recycling due to the copper and magnets

cold, but as they get hot performance drops off,” said James.

and aluminium because we can get really

and gives the motor a longer life,” he said.

It’s some of those qualities that make Dr

Widmer and AEM want to look to potential uses for its electric motors in heavy

to be anybody else out there doing anything similar at the moment.” AEM currently employs about 60 people. by the end of this year will be able to do 12,000 advanced electric motors a year. and is looking to move to a bigger facility of around 12,000 square metres at the

back end of this year which will allow it to do much larger volumes and they’re also looking at plants in the US and potentially in Thailand.

www.truckandbus.net.au 037

Operator

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www.truckandbus.net.au 039

sk anyone in the transport

industry about the challenge of coming up with a clean power solution for buses

and coaches and the various hurdles are quickly rolled out.

There’s the cost, the availability of electric

buses, the charging hardware, the availability

of enough electricity and the list goes on. There seems little doubt given the massive investments that the big bus makers are

making in electric technology, that electricity is the future and at some point in the future it will dominate the market. However that may be some way off given the challenges

drivelines. Scania reckons its biofuel-ready engines are the ideal solution to help get us through the transition. Bio diesel has been reasonably big in Europe in recent times, but has not had a

massive take up here in Australia, although

Scania would like us to consider biodiesel as a cleaner, friendlier fuel source for diesel engines, allowing the technology to buy operators some breathing space ahead

of a switch to electric power. One major operator coach operator which is giving biodiesel a try, is Murrays

we’ve already mentioned.

Coaches. Murrays, one of Australia’s longest

potentially with internal combustion engines, to help bridge the gap between

in operation in Queensland with another five new Scanias on order. However

So in the meantime we still need to make efforts to be cleaner and more efficient

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current diesel power and future electric

established and best known coach operators, currently has six Scania buses

importantly two of those original

six are running on biodiesel. The two bio diesel Scanias on the Murrays fleet have been switched over to run on B100 biodiesel provided by

it comes from a combination of things

including reclaimed cooking oils, yellow grease, plant based oil production and animal fats and other waste products. The fuel is produced by trans-

Ecotech Biodiesel based in Queensland with fuel transported by Refuelling Solutions. The two biodiesel Scanias

esterification, a process that converts fats and oils into biodiesel and glycerin, which is a by-product. Approximately 50

Refuelling Solutions have partnered with Scania to provide a turn-key solution for bus and coach operators around Australia

in the presence of a catalyst, usually sodium hydroxide [NaOH] or potassium hydroxide [KOH]) to form 50 kilos of

are fitted with IRIZAR i6 bodies. Ecotech Biodiesel, Just Biodiesel and

looking to vastly lower their emissions.

That the fuel is produced in Australia from local sources, reduces our exposure to imported fuels and importantly, keeps investment local, is a further advantage.

Before you start wondering about where the biodiesel is sourced and produced,

kilos of oil or fat are reacted with five kilos of a short-chain alcohol usually methanol

biodiesel and five kilos of glycerin or

glycerol. Glycerin, which is a sugar, is commonly used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Justin Cannon, Murrays Coaches’

national fleet manager said the decision to switch to biofuels and to order five new

Scania-powered vehicles run on B100 was taking the fast route to cleaner emissions driven by the company’s desire to cut tailpipe emissions now. “Our customers are asking us how to

reduce their carbon footprint, and we have answers,” said Anthony King, Scania Australia’s sustainability solutions manager.

“Today there is additional impetus from our customers and their customers’ asking the same questions. Fortunately, we have been prepared for this and have established partnerships with relevant stakeholders so that we can deliver a readymade, here-and-now solution.

“All Scania bus engines that we have sold

in recent times can run on B100 biodiesel. It just needs to be pumped into the

vehicle’s tanks. The fuel must comply with the EN 14214 standard, of course. And if

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“ USING B100 BIODIESEL GIVES YOU THE UNMATCHED SCANIA RELIABILITY YOU NEED TODAY, WITH SIGNIFICANTLY LOWERED CLIMATE IMPACT”

they need to refuel away from the depot, regular diesel can be used,” Anthony said. “Murrays’ two IRIZAR i6 bodies on Scania 360 hp powertrains will be the first to use biofuel as part of our carbon

emissions reduction program for customers

in Australia, and we are delighted that

they will take delivery of a further five new vehicles that will also run on this fuel,”

Murrays has ordered five new Scania powered buses with bodies assembled

“We’re delighted that Murrays has partnered with Refuelling Solutions”

workers to and from the Surat Basin. “We have had the flexibility with Scania

“We’re already working on future investment plans to extend emission

by BCI, all of which will run on B100 and will be working on a contract to transport

and BCI to select the components we know work well in our operating

Anthony said.

environment to build buses that we are confident will stand up to Australia’s harsh operating conditions,” Justin said.

reducing carbon emissions” Justin said. “We had already been studying options and the Scania biofuel solution made the

CO2 emissions, so the success of this B100 program could have implications for future fleet purchases,” Justin said.

adaptation to run on B100, as they are adapted at the factory. “For our operating environment, biofuels

powered vehicles in our fleet in Queensland and will add the new five BCI bodied vehicles. They’ll be running from Brisbane

running on B100 delivered no noticeable difference in power or fuel efficiency, but

“We expect that they will cover about 20,000 km per month running out there,

“Murrays has several customers who are multinationals and who are tasked with

most sense because the buses need no

make the most sense today,” Justin said. “Our trials showed that the Irizar i6s

we have the benefit of the significant emissions reduction.”

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“Corporately we are keen to reduce our

“We currently operate six Scania-

to Toowoomba as well as on to Chinchilla, and also out to St George and Cunnamulla.

so they will be racking up km quickly for buses,” Justin said.

said Simon Roycroft, future fuels manager at Refuelling Solutions.

reductions” he said. “It is very exciting to be working with

leading organisations that are at the forefront of this once in a lifetime energy transition, delivering customer focused

renewable low carbon liquid fuel solutions.” Murrays philosophy is that its company logo isn’t the only thing that’s green! The company claims to operate Australia’s largest modern fleet, using new coaches that it says have been created with sustainability in mind, using the latest emissions-reducing components. It says that even its older coaches have been upgraded to increase engine efficiency

and fuel economy. In recent times Murrays has purchased 70 new coaches, which is a significant investment in new technology and

incorporating lower emission engines and sustainable engineering is a priority. As well its depots have undergone significant improvement, including a

in the cleaning and maintenance of coaches. The company says it now uses environmentally friendly products that are all compliant with local, sewer and

where excessive lighting is used and many of the offices are now fitted with

the safe removal of old fuel tanks, conservation or energy and reduction of waste outputs from the workshop area.

this, it says the washing of vehicles takes places in bunded areas with all discharge regularly tested.

biodiesel, Anthony King says it is a major

reduction of risk in fuel storage with

The company has also done this through recycling waste oil, batteries, tyres, air-

conditioning and other vehicle parts. Murrays has also looked at water conservation by installing large rainwater tanks in all its depot locations, together

with recycling systems. It has also invested in both an automatic wash bay unit at its busiest depot in Sydney, along with portable bus washing systems at

its other locations to further increase efficiencies. This effort has. It says has reduced water usage to almost nil.

Along with those environmental moves

it has reviewed its use of fluid usage with coach wash, toilet chemicals and numerous other chemicals used

stormwater regulations. In addition to

To further underline its environmental concerns Murrays has made adjustments over the years to its office environments and equipment. It says it has upgraded all equipment to modern, energy saving models, using up to 90 per cent less

energy. In addition it reminds all staff to turn off electronics at the end of the day. Doing this saves energy in the office,

section light systems, ensuring overuse does not occur. Meanwhile back with the switch to

step toward creating a greener fleet now rather than waiting for full zero emission drivelines. “We have very high confidence in

the B100 biofuel,” Anthony King said. “European operators have been running their Scania buses and coaches

on biofuels for many years with excellent results and with up to 80 per cent CO2

and it says it is a small way to reduce its

emissions reduction well-to-wheel. “Using B100 biodiesel gives you the unmatched Scania reliability you need

to an electronics recycling company or

impact” he said. It’s clear that while zero emission buses and coaches will be a part of our

waste and harmful electronics in landfill. Its office policy is also to monitor areas

pressure on the environment now to build that bridge to a cleaner tomorrow.

contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. Murrays says that whenever electronic equipment is updated, it is delivered distributed to our employees, reducing

today, with significantly lowered climate

future, there are other ways to reduce the

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New Product

Everywhere you look, there are more and more zero emission options emerging in the bus market and while there are a lot of battery electric buses arriving on the market, there have so far not been many hydrogen fuel cell buses available here, that was until now. We take a look at HDrive’s ambitious plans to bring a Hydrogen bus down under.

044 www.truckandbus.net.au

H IS FOR HYDROGEN -

H DRIVE UNVEILS HYDROGEN FUEL CELL BUS

www.truckandbus.net.au 045

ustralian company HDrive has revealed a hydrogen fuel cell double decker bus along with an electric shuttle bus at a

media event at Shellharbour airport and says the buses might be assembled in Australia at some point in the future. The company has been launched to market zero emission vehicles as

a specialist zero emissions distributor in Australia, specialising in hydrogen

and battery electric vehicles. The company revealed the buses, both

made in China by Wisdom Motor with the hydrogen powered double decker using Ballard fuel cell technology, while the

battery electric shuttle bus is a similar size

046 www.truckandbus.net.au

and look to a Hino Poncho and will also

form a part of the HDrive operation.

110-1 fuel cell providing power to the ZF AVE 130 axle mounted electric motor,

of 100 occupants including the driver, with

including the ZF RL 82 tag axle, while

The hydrogen fuel cell bus has a capacity

79 seated and 20 standing across two levels. The 11.98 metre bus has a height of 4.4 metres and weighs in at 16 tonnes

with ZF air suspension on all axles

it runs disc brakes all around. General manager Ben Kiddle said it is

tare weight with a GVM of 22 tonnes H Drive says the Wisdom FC 120DD

HDrive’s intention to potentially invest in manufacturing in the Illawarra around the area near the Shellharbour airport

maintain 20 km/h with a maximum speed of 80km/h and a range on its hydrogen

development. “There’s lots of opportunity for employment, lots of people are seeking

electricity provided from a Ballard WEF

the area as well,” said Kiddle. Kiddle has worked in the UK for the past 20 years and has worked on hydrogen and

Double Decker has the ability to tackle a maximum grade of 17 per cent and can

tanks of 300km, with the ability to refuel in around 15 min. It is fitted with a 105.3 kWh battery with

where he says it will also carry out vehicle

employment, and lots of trade skills around

“ WE INTEND TO DO MORE THAN JUST SELL VEHICLES, WE NEED TO PROVIDE SOLUTIONS FOR THE INDUSTRY”

www.truckandbus.net.au 047

battery electric buses during that time and brings that knowledge and skill to the task of running H Drive.

“It was a great opportunity for me to further my skills, my career in heavy vehicle, the chemical industry and my

learnings for pushing city buses along with zero emission technologies,” he said. That was 20 years ago and we were running Hydrogen buses in London back then and now we have a hydrogen bus here in Australia. Kiddle said HDrive knows what the

fuel cell technology is real and to show that it’s the ideal technology for use in the commercial transport industry”, he said. Kiddle said that HDrive will have the

largest portfolio of zero emission heavy passenger and commercial vehicles available in Australia.

“We will have solutions in battery electric

and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, ranging from four and a half tonnes to 70 tonnes in commercial, and from 13 passengers to 100 passengers in buses which could see a varying range of sizes,” said Kiddle.

was on hand at the launch having already been an early adopter of battery electric vehicles during a trial on the South Coast of NSW in 2018.

“As president of Bus NSW, it pleases me greatly to see the hydrogen fuel cell bus behind us today,” said John King.

“In 2019 the industry was given a challenge to start transitioning the fleet to zero emissions, an ambitious challenge, however, our industry has always stood up, it always will stand up to bring the solution to government and not the problem,” he said.

to engineer these vehicles for Australian conditions.

“We intend to do more than just sell vehicles, we need to provide solutions for the industry,” he said.

Pure Hydrogen and it is aiming to get the cost of hydrogen down to about $20 per

invited You all for this event as partners stakeholders for a better future, a future where our children will learn, the change is

partners to ensure that vehicles are delivered with options for charging, hydrogen storage, supply and production

“We believe we’re going to get it to a lot less than that, and we would be looking to

“We’ve brought this double decker bus here

are completely ready to drive their businesses to a greener future,” he added. The president of Bus NSW John King,

challenges are and what needs to be done

Divisions a tribe of employees

achievable. The change is acceptable, and the change can be made.

to the Illawarra to demonstrate that hydrogen

048 www.truckandbus.net.au

“We are work closely with our energy

solutions and to ensure that our customers

HDrive is working with hydrogen supplier

kilo which would be parity with the cost of diesel.

drive partnerships with transport operators and all our energy suppliers, and we’ve already started that journey,” said Ben Kiddle.

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Business

050 www.truckandbus.net.au

The White Family has a long and proud history in the bus industry selling and servicing a huge number of buses over several decades, across a couple of generations. For many years Bus Stop was the place to go for Yutong buses but in recent times it has moved to a different brand as its main focus, taking over the distribution of the King Long brand in Australia. We had a chat with Pete White at the recent Sydney Bus Show to find out more about the Whites and their path to a green future. www.truckandbus.net.au 051

T is fair to say that King Long had been

languishing before Bus Stop took the brand on and now brighter days appear to be ahead for the Chinese maker

down under.

Under the stewardship of Pete White,

Bus Stop has grown strongly in recent years not just on the back of Yutong and

first fully electric high floor bus. It is much

more than a case of the Whites turning green and reflects the general tenor of the industry at the moment as we face the need to become carbon-free.

To view the Bus Stop stand at the Sydney

in more recent times, King Long, but also

Show was to understand this, everywhere you looked there was green with green plant trimmed stanchions, as well as green

that later.

electric buses it was displaying there. In a chat with Pete White on the stand we got to understand the real commitment Bus

creating the versatile and unique Isuzu I-Bus, which create people carrying buses using Isuzu truck chassis, but more of Most importantly for Bus Stop and its customers, was the launch at the Sydney Bus Show of, what it claims is Australia’s

052 www.truckandbus.net.au

themes with the buses, and of course the

Stop has to the changes ahead and the fact that the company is in for the long haul. “We chose very early in the planning for

Sydney, that we wanted to showcase our premier electric options and the variety of models we have,” said Pete White. White explained that the King Long

electric chassis displayed was the latest electric solution for urban operators and

is chock a block full of the latest electric bus tech and components that are the best available in the industry. There were two examples of the King

Long chassis on Bus Show stand , one a fully built up Volgren bodied city bus and

the other a bare electric chassis, displaying the quality and sensible layout that the

highly experienced King Long factory can produce.

Bus Stop recently announced its tie up

with Volgren and was keen to show the fruits of that relationship and how it can provide a viable and very competitive alternative in the electric sphere to the

established and dominant European brands.

“We’ve worked very closely with Volgren to put this bus together using the best local body available and our partnership

with them is proving to be very fruitful and I reckon that both companies have worked well together to deliver a fully supported and very competitive electric bus for the market,” said Pete White.

Bus Stop’s display was not purely electric focussed, despite it being the most

dominant theme at the display.

“We have not forgotten out roots and we did have diesel on the stand because it is obvious that the up take of electric will take time and won’t suit everyone in the shorter term, so we have options for operators, with various sizes and options available to suit,” he said. “That is not to say that we are not

pushing the envelope when it comes to new energy options,” White added.

Underlining that was the previously mentioned Evolution high floor electric zero emission bus that can rightfully claim to be

the first Australian delivered high floor electric bus and the first to gain ADR compliance.

“The Evolution is a very special bus

because it was the first in Australia and it is aimed at the school and mining

markets and we believe it is and excellent package,” said White. Bus Stop’s other key product line is the I-Bus Isuzu buses and they decided

to really celebrate the relationship with Isuzu at the Show and had a 32 seat I-Bus on the stand, a bus that is positioned competitively against the likes of Fuso’s Rosa and Toyota’s Coaster.

“It’s a 32 seater that can be driven on a light rigid licence, it has no AdBlue nor

DPF burn issues, so it has none of those headaches for operators, and in our

www.truckandbus.net.au 053

opinion this is unrivalled and in a class of its own,” said Pete.

“It has no real competitor and it generated a huge amount of enquiry and interest at the Show,” he added. “Our stand at the Show was only a

fraction of the number of solutions we can offer the bus industry, but the stand is indicative of our vision, which is to always challenge the market and to seek out new models to satisfy our customer’s needs,” said Pete. As we mentioned earlier King Long had languished somewhat, after the Melbourne based distributor, Heavy Vehicles Australia pulled out of the

brand’s previous high points. Thankfully Bus Stop was transitioning out of its relationship with Yutong at the time

has a great sounding board and someone who has been there and done that. Along with Dick’s experience, Pete also has a

had of Pete White guiding the business. Timing is everything and of course March

and around the industry. Pete is quick to point out that while the

and by March 2020 King Long had a new home, with the steady and experienced

2020 was when the dreaded Covid 19 started its cruel shutdown of our economy.

Now almost three years on the Sydney Bus Show was a very strong indication that it is now all systems go for Bus Stop AS we mentioned Bus Stop is still very much a family owned and run business with its headquarters at its Brisbane

business in December 2019 HVA that had

Bus Centre at Rocklea in Brisbane along with its Victorian operation at Epping in Melbourne’s north.

before it pulled out were a shadow of the

highly experienced father, Dick White, Pete

handled the brand for sometime but it is fair to say that the last couple of years

054 www.truckandbus.net.au

With the support and backing of his

collective team that bring a huge amount of experience in bus body building and in

Sydney Bus Show was a fantastic expo for its new buses, he said the company is also a large player in the used bus and coach market as well as with motorhomes.

“We are totally committed to ensuring our customers are fully supported with parts and service after choosing from our product range, and to demonstrate that

commitment we hold more than $1 million in genuine parts, while also retaining a nationwide team of factory-trained and supported service agents to help with any repairs,” Pete said.

GET ALL THE LATEST TRUCK AND BUS INDUSTRY NEWS AS IT HAPPENS AT THE TRANSPORT INDUSTRY’S BEST NEWS WEBSITE

www.truckandbusnews.net.au Brought to you from the resources of Transport & Trucking Australia as well as Coach & Bus magazine

Bus e-News

We also bring you all of the latest news in an easy to consume email bulletin, Bus e-News giving you all the detail on the biggest stories and industry news allowing you to click through to the website.

LCV Here at LCV we often get to drive big vans, utes and even mid size vans, but we unfortunately don’t get to drive Euro style city vans as we like to call them, for instance the subject of this story, Volkswagen’s versatile and very lovable Caddy van. Sure the payload is smaller and they don’t sell as many in size obsessed Australia, but we reckon VW is right on the money with the Caddy. We took a drive to see how the latest edition performed.

he Caddy plays amongst its European opponents from

As we said the Caddy gets a real Golf

influence and as a result you get very

small stubby switch in reality, an item that might have been better located somewhere

looks great, does have some downsides, but more of that later.

Back behind the front seats is the cargo area, which is surprisingly large, fitted with a floor that has been coated in a non-slip

Renault with its Kangoo and Peugeot with the Partner, while the likes of Toyota and Hyundai who

comfortable proper seats, a leather wrapped steering wheel and the latest in dash technology, which although it

The latest incarnation of the Caddy Cargo pretty much delivers VW Golf

dynamics and interior in a practical and nippy panel van, that is ideally suited

There are lots of nooks and crannies, with bins and hidey holes for drivers using the Caddy Cargo as a work van, enabling them to stow paperwork, coffee cups and drink

Climb behind the wheel of the Caddy

to carry. This includes a large stowage area on top of the dash and large and deep door pockets, all of which have been well

was fitted with sliding doors on both sides, which is a major convenience and a big time and labour saving for delivery drivers

the newest model, the Caddy gets a new electronic gear selector, which is in fact a

up tailgate can be ordered as an option for those that prefer that configuration

lead in the larger van area, don’t have a product in the little van segment.

to hefting smaller loads around town, but is equally at home heading down the highway on a weekend away.

Cargo Maxi that we were testing and you understand the excellent visibility to the sides and looking forward, thanks largely

to the taller roof and glasshouse of the van.

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bottles, iPads and anything else you have

designed and thought out. In the upgrade to the latest tech with

on the dash. No matter what, it is easy to use and quick to adapt to.

paint finish and unlike previous models,

there is a solid bulkhead protecting the

cabin occupants from loose tools or cargo stored in the cargo area.

The Cargo Caddy Maxi that we tested,

and tradies alike. Our test van had twin wide opening rear doors, although a lift

CADDY LETS YOU PLAY LIKE A GOLF

The cargo area offers up around 3.1 cubic

side doors and those wide opening rears

of other functions. However some things, such as turning off the auto stop function and even controlling the ventilation and air

computer data, and as we mentioned the air-con and vent controls, which is a bit of a pain.

VW has built in six very convenient and well located tie down points through the rear cargo area and it has also fitted the

sometimes wonder if auto engineers ever think about the fact that a driver has to manage these things often when they are

days, except for the fact that we often listen to radio through an app which of course can be used through CarPlay or

metres of load volume, which given the two

enables loads of up to 1234mm wide and 1122mm high.

rear with great and powerful LED lighting

that is tremendous at illuminating the area, particularly at night. Back in the cockpit the inclusion of what the aviation people call a glass cockpit,

has brought some pluses and some minuses, particularly given a lot of switch gear has been removed and the functions transferred to the large infotainment screen. Some are easy to control and get

used to, including the audio and a couple

con is unbearably fussy and complicated, for what should be easy to pilot. We

hurtling down the road at 100km/h. A little more thought here would go a long way. The centrally located 8.25-inch infotainment screen, features connected

or wired Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto. The screen also plays host to a rear view camera which is essential given the fact that the rear can be filled with vision blocking loads from time to time. Various other functions are housed in the system including access to vehicle settings, trip

The audio system has FM radio but not AM or digital which is also a pain these

Android.

The cockpit immediately in front of the driver is equipped with a speedo, tacho, fuel and temp dials and a small multi-

function display in between, with a digital

speedo, trip computer data and media settings, depending on the screen chosen. There are controls on the steering wheel controls with cruise control buttons on the left hand spoke and buttons to bring

up info in the display in front on the right.

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“ THEY’RE EASY TO USE AND VERY WELL DESIGNED”

They’re easy to use and very well designed. Safety features on the Caddy Cargo includes city-speed autonomous

emergency braking (AEB) , lane-keep assistance, and the rear-view camera, while there is a front central airbag to

protect occupants from banging into each other in a prang, and there are also first-

and second-row curtain airbags, plus frontseat forward and side airbags. For $2750 as an option you can have the Driver Assist Package which delivers

an added level of AEB, this one with pedestrian detection, along with adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert as well as digital

radio, black-painted door handles and heated and power folding mirrors. If you want to splurge the Comfort Drive

Travel Assist Package adds all of that plus lane-keep assist, park assist with front and rear park sensors, cyclist and oncoming vehicle when turning AEB intervention, as well as a digital driver’s display and a keyless entry and start.

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Our test car had all of this included. Under the bonnet is the TDI320 turbo diesel, which is a two-litre, boasting

cab and the cargo area. Thanks to the fact that it shares underpinning with the Golf the Caddy

of torque and it delivers easy and quite economical performance, with that good

handles, steers and stops like a nimble little sedan. It doesn’t feel like a van and it certainly does drive like a Golf, while

town or on the highway. It’s mated to VW’s excellent seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which shifts

in its stride. Some have criticised the ride of the

90kW of power and a substantial 320 Nm

torque making it easy to drive around

smoothly and always seems to have the right cog for the job. The stated average fuel consumption is 4.9 litres per 100km but after a week under test with us the Caddy returned a still respectable 7.2 litres per 100 km

across a variety of conditions and with some spirited driving. For a boxy panel van VW has also done a great job at NVH and the interior noise

its ability to navigate narrow inner city roads and lanes is something it takes

Caddy but in all honesty we found it more than comfortable and with those

good seats and low noise we were very cosy and enjoyed the dynamics. The Caddy Cargo TDI320 we tested starts from $41,990 but our test model

was fitted with Comfort Drive Travel Assist Package which added $5000 before options and on-road costs. VW gives the Caddy a five-year,

unlimited-kilometre warranty.

levels are very good. It’s a very quiet environment particularly when the dual clutch auto slots into top and you are

We reckon the Caddy is an attractive package if you want a small commercial

that is almost certainly enhanced by the insertion of that bulkhead between the

and ride but with that handy cargo area.

cruising down the motorway, something

with the best of both worlds, delivering strong performance and car like handling

“IT DOESN’T FEEL LIKE A VAN AND IT CERTAINLY DOES DRIVE LIKE A GOLF, WHILE ITS ABILITY TO NAVIGATE NARROW INNER CITY ROADS AND LANES IS SOMETHING IT TAKES IN ITS STRIDE”

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Company Car

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UV’s are pretty sexless really, let’s face it they’re generally

boxes on wheels, with an overall lack of styling and they’re

designed to haul the kids, the pets the

groceries and all the other ephemera of life, with a lot fooling owners that they are also there to head out into the countryside on road trips far from the madding crowd.

a sunroof such a as one fitted to the test car there is a $1900 premium $76,890. Some may baulk at that for a car that

comes from the Czech Republic but this is a car that delivers the performance of

much more expensive machines and puts a smile on your dial while doing it.

The Kodiaq is equipped with seven seats

It’s a bit of a sweeping assessment, but

but in reality the rear third row is really the

have gone crackers for SUVs in Australia

But all about the interior there is a lot of

generally there is a bit of truth in it. We

in recent years. Where we used to drive

station wagons of varying size, these have been swapped for SUVs of varying sizes.

Once a dour Czech car brand, Skoda has blossomed in recent years thanks to the influence of its German owner, the Volkswagen Group. Far from being dowdy and stolid cars from behind the Iron Curtain like the Skodas of old, the new Skodas are packed with style performance and clever design. We jumped behind the wheel of a Kodiaq RS.

price of $74,990 drive-away, however with

Its funny, ‘cause in Europe, they’re still

mad on wagons and there are a lot more

car based wagons running around giving drivers the benefit of better handling,

better economy and better performance, without any real loss of interior space in comparative models.

You got it, I am a wagon guy, but there

domain of kids or people with short legs. practicality and space but with a really nice, chic touch of styling.

The Kodiaq RS has box quilted upholstery

applied to particularly sport seats for the

driver and front seat passenger, with racing style one piece back rests. The seats

deliver great support and side bolstering, as well as heating and cooling functions built in. We found the heating function rather handy down at the snow.

The other aspect of the seats that

is one SUV that I am dead keen on and

we were impressed with is the flexible

After a week with a new Kodiaq RS

to attain a comfortable driving position.

that is Skoda’s Kodiaq RS.

recently we came away even more

adjustment that easily enables most drivers On a long drive the seating position and

impressed with this Czech take on a

overall ambience and performance makes

VW for the past couple of decades and

driving experience.

VW Tiguan. Skoda has been owned by while it looks generally nothing like its

for a very comfortable and invigorating

The cockpit contains a very clear and

German siblings, it does have all of the

easy to use instrument display in front of

global car maker brings with it in terms of

it the way you want to with a range of

advantages that being a part of the giant

performance, engineering and build quality. The latest Kodiaq RS is a purely petrol

model as Skoda eschewed the former twin turbo diesel version, instead powering

the driver, which allows you to configure different information, including trip details, navigation, and various other detail you can bring up at the touch of a button.

There is a large 9.2 inch touch screen

it with a ferocious little and turbo petrol

infotainment display, which now comes

GTi hot hatch.

Auto, making those apps even more

engine, which is shares with the VW Golf The turbo petrol engine is more powerful

and lighter than the previous diesel and gives it a real sporty edge.

The Kodiaq has a really elegant presence

with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android convenient and usable. The reality is

it is an easy to use and well-designed

system and we quickly fell in love with it. Throughout the cabin there is plenty of

and nice styling both inside and out and

nooks for storage, with a tub beneath the

much different to the previous model it

trays and pockets around the interior, a

while the updated model doesn’t look

has been sharpened up a little, while the interior has been given an update and some better technology.

For our time with the car we were

fortunate to be able to give it a longer test

on a drive to the Victorian Alps, benefiting from all of the great dynamics Skoda has built into the car and using the muscular engine performance to iron out a couple of mountain passes.

The Kodiaq RS is not a bargain basement

machine, but having said that it is not bad value either with a recommended sticker

front centre armrest, along with various

bunch of cupholders and There’s a space beneath the central armrest, and a tray in front of it that can act as cupholders, or

flipped to hold coins and keys. Beneath the centre console is a wireless phone charger and USB-C ports, while the door bins are big enough to swallow 1.5-litre bottles.

Unlike everything Volkswagen, Skoda has

stuck with dials and physical buttons for its climate controls. Sounds crazy, but it

works. Everything falls easily to hand, and it’s easy to fiddle with the temperature or fan speed on the move.

www.truckandbus.net.au 061

Another couple of things that set the Skoda apart from its VW siblings are the interesting little touches, things like a litter bin in the driver’s door, a hidden umbrella,

and third rows stowed away. The Kodiaq RS is equipped with the same the 2.0-litre turbo petrol four cylinder seen in the Volkswagen Golf GTI, delivering

ticket holder on the windscreen, blankets that attach to the headrests to keep rear seat occupants warm, and flip down parts

a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission feeding an all-wheel drive system.

also in a special hatch in the door, a parking

on the headrests to offer better comfort while sleeping. Al of these are a little

gimmicky but all are equally handy when you really need them. The Kodiaq has a third row of seats,

180kW and 370Nm of torque, mated to

Performance is impressive even for an SUV, with the Kodiaq RS able to sprint from a standing start to 100km/h in around 6.6 seconds, with a delightful engine note

In Sport mode, the Kodiaq benefits from the system stiffening the suspension for better turn in and handling and giving the steering a bit more feel, delivering better

handling than an SUV deserves to give. A spirited drive up and down the mountain to Falls Creek proved just that and it was an impressive test of the Kodiaq’s mettle. Turn in from the precise steering is very good, and with the torque from the two litre

that is slightly reminiscent of the legendary Audi Quattro.

turbo as well as the smooth and perfectly timed shifts from the dual clutch seven speed auto, you have a great touring

baggage, we didn’t use these, but a quick check out of the seats showed these are probably best used for kids rather than

with a claimed average of 7.7 litres per 100km, however with some spirited driving we were able to achieve around 8.2 litres

steering wheel enables the driver to quickly and easily shift gears manually for an even sportier performance.

making it a full time seven seater. We found the load space was very usable with heaps of room for all our ski luggage,

is recommended to be filled with 95 RON standard fuel. The Kodiaq handles and rides superbly

but as we were on a ski trip with lots of

adults and are a convenience rather than

in fact the load area delivers 765 litres of

space with the third row of seats stowed away, 270 litres with the third row up, or a massive 2005 litres with the second

062 www.truckandbus.net.au

Fuel economy is also equally impressive

per 100km. The Kodiaq’s 60litre fuel tank

and benefits from an electronically controlled mode switch that enables

you to select comfort or sport, depending on your driving needs.

package. A paddle shift function on the

The traction from the all-wheel drive

system is excellent, a feature we had plenty of chances to feel and test on our Alpine drive.

Our time with the Kodiaq RS came to

an end all too soon and we had to return it to Skoda with a heavy heart. We loved it and would have one in a heart beat.

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064 Money Matters WHERE INVESTORS CAN EARN LOW-TAX INCOME AND ARE WE UNDER INSURED? IN THESE DAYS OF HIGH INFLATION AND LOW WAGES GROWTH, INVESTMENTS CAN BE A VALUABLE SOURCE OF ADDITIONAL INCOME THOUGH SOME RETURNS ARE MORE TAX-FRIENDLY THAN OTHERS.

he upside of rising interest rates is that returns on savings accounts have improved. Savers who shop around may be able to earn 3 per

cent on their spare cash, though various

conditions may apply to earn that sort of rate.

The drawback is that interest income is fully taxable. A high-income earner can lose up to half their interest in tax.

By contrast, dividends on shares can be very lightly taxed. That’s because investors receive credit for the 30 per cent tax paid by companies on profits that dividends are paid from. It can make dividends very tax-friendly for high income earners. Investors can even claim a tax refund if the franking credits on dividends outweigh the tax they have to pay.

This explains why shares and exchange traded funds that invest in equities are often popular choices among those who rely on investment income for money to live on. To see how dividends stack up against other types of returns, investors can use a figure called the ‘dividend yield’. It’s calculated by dividing the dividend per share by the market price of the share, and multiplying the result by 100. You don’t have to crunch the numbers yourself. The dividend yield for each listed

is that they represent your share of a

company’s profits. Over the last 100 years, companies have paid out around 65 per cent of their earnings to shareholders. That’s great news for investors looking for

lightly-taxed income. The added sweetener is that shares have a healthy track record for notching up long term capital growth, which can also be tax-friendly. Meantime, as we well know life can

change fast. Who’d have thought a year ago that interest rates would jump 2.25 per cent in just five months? Or that inflation would be over 6 per cent? And let’s be honest, who predicted back at the start of 2020 that we were walking into a pandemic? The fact is, none of us knows exactly what’s around the corner. That’s why life insurance is so important. And as the cost of living climbs, it makes a lot of sense to review your cover to be sure you have the right level of protection for your needs. Here are three reasons why it’s worth giving your life insurance a check-up.

1. LIFE COVER CAN PROTECT YOU NOW Life insurance tends to be bundled with other forms of personal insurance. Typical

company can be found on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) website. The yield will change as the sale price of a share

add-ons include Total and Permanent

the yield would soar and vice versa. As I write, the dividend yield on some of Australia’s best-known shares include

pays a percentage of your regular income if illness or injury prevent you from working.

changes. Indeed, if the share price tanked

4.0 per cent for the Commonwealth Bank,

4.2 per cent for Telstra and 11.6 per cent for BHP. Clearly, there can be big variations in dividend yields across different companies, which highlights the value of having a diversified portfolio.

More broadly, Reserve Bank research shows dividend yields on Australian shares typically averages around 4.5 per cent, which is high by global standards.

What’s really exciting about dividends

064 www.truckandbus.net.au

Disability (TPD) insurance, which pays a lump

home loan repayments as a result of rising

interest rates. Without adequate life insurance, those challenges could become a lot harder if you were no longer around.

3. LIFE COVER IN SUPER CAN BE TOPPED UP Chances are you have life insurance through your super. If you’re unsure, ask your fund. However, it’s also a reasonable bet that you don’t have enough cover. One industry study found the level of life insurance through super can only meet 61 per cent of the basic needs of

the average household – or just 37 per cent of the needs of families with children.

It is possible to top up your level of cover through super. However, the increased

premiums come directly out of your super. Over time this can have a significant impact on your retirement savings, which is why some people choose to top up their cover through an independent insurer. The main point is to check how much cover you have in place. Life has a habit of delivering curve balls, and your future self

could be very grateful that you took the time today to review your level of protection.

sum if you become permanently disabled, and also Income Protection cover, which

In this way, a life insurance package can

provide a financial lifeline while you are very much alive.

2. LIFE COVER IS ESSENTIAL IF CHILDREN OR A PARTNER DEPEND ON YOU Life cover can prevent a tough time being even harder for the people who matter most in your life. Many families are facing serious financial challenges right now dealing with increased

Paul Clitheroe is Chairman of InvestSMART, Chair of the Ecstra Foundation and chief commentator for Money Magazine.

ALL IT TAKES At Kumho, we deliver a smoother, safer ride for you and your cargo – on tyres designed to perform in all Australian conditions. Whether it’s a light load or heavy highway haulage, our commitment to quality will deliver you great value and a safer tomorrow. And like a circle, it never ends. We’ll continue to look for new ways to make your experience better. It’s just what we do. KUMHO TYRE. BETTER, ALL-WAYS.

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Articles inside

064 Money Matters

CADDY LETS YOU PLAY LIKE A GOLF

H IS FOR HYDROGENH DRIVE UNVEILS HYDROGEN FUEL CELL BUS

New Technology

DREAMS POWERING AUSSIE DREAMS

Bus Show

KINETIC ENERGY - MAJOR BUS OPERATOR CONTINUES ZERO EMISSION SHIFT

GREEN LIGHT - TRANSIT SYSTEM COMPLETES ELECTRIFICATION OF LEICHHARDT DEPOT

UPSKILL - VOGREN INITIATES PROGRAM TO UPSKILL PERSONNEL TO BATTLE SHORTAGE OF SKILLED TALENT

Sustainability beyond emissions

IN TRANSIT - MAJOR TRANSPORT OPERATOR WINS NEW SYDNEY BUS CONTRACT

CONTENTS

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