94 new Battery Electric Buses

Started by Barry Drive, May 31, 2023, 11:32:20 AM

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Barry Drive

Chris Steel has announced 94 further electric buses.

4 will be Custom Denning Elements - for Belconnen Depot in late 2023.

The other 90 will be Yutongs for Tuggeranong or Woden Depots for delivery by 2026.

Although Woden Depot is intended to be ready by late 2024, the delivery date will depend on when the electric infrastructure upgrade is finalised.

https://the-riotact.com/government-seals-deal-for-90-new-electric-buses-for-canberra/666581

Barry Drive

Quote from: Barry Drive on May 31, 2023, 11:32:20 AMThe other 90 will be Yutongs for Tuggeranong or Woden Depots for delivery by 2026.

Although Woden Depot is intended to be ready by late 2024, the delivery date will depend on when the electric infrastructure upgrade is finalised.

The contract with VDI (Yutong) has been published. There is very little useful information - specifications and delivery schedule have been deemed "Confidential".

What is known is that the total contract price is $83.448m for 90 buses - not including charging equipment.

Without further information, have to assume that delivery is planned for mid/late 2024 to 2027.

triumph

If the contract has been entered into, it is hard to conceive of any actual commercial confidence in withholding a delivery schedule or the contract (as opposed to manufacturer's) specifications. There may be a case for withholding some manufacturer specification details revealed only in confidence in the tender.
Looks like the Government wants to keep delivery schedule secret so the citizens have no grounds to criticise over 'late' deliveries. A reprehensible politically driven decision to over-rule transparency?

Barry Drive

I'm not totally disagreeing, however:

Quote from: triumph on August 10, 2023, 07:37:07 PMLooks like the Government wants to keep delivery schedule secret so the citizens have no grounds to criticise over 'late' deliveries. A reprehensible politically driven decision to over-rule transparency?
there is nothing to suggest that it was "the Government" who wanted to keep the delivery schedule confidential. The contract further states that the Government Procurement Act permits information to be deemed to be confidential where "(it) has a commercial value that would be, or could reasonably be expected to be, destroyed or diminished if the information were disclosed."

There are no grounds for information to be withheld for political reasons as suggested above.

In any case, while useful, the delivery schedules are almost never adhered to.

triumph

Quote from: Barry Drive on August 12, 2023, 11:14:20 AM...
In any case, while useful, the delivery schedules are almost never adhered to.
Thus you have answered the probable reason for secrecy of the 'delivery schedule', but hardly justified under transparency.

Barry Drive

Quote from: Barry Drive on May 31, 2023, 11:32:20 AM90 will be Yutongs for Tuggeranong or Woden Depots for delivery by 2026.

Although Woden Depot is intended to be ready by late 2024, the delivery date will depend on when the electric infrastructure upgrade is finalised.
I found some additional information from the Hansard of ACT Question Times

The electrical upgrade at Tuggeranong Depot is expected "mid 2024" and will install 25 additional chargers - which will service up to 50 buses.

The eventual electric bus allocation will be 4 at Belconnen, 62 at Tuggeranong and 40 at Woden.

A separate question revealed that Woden is expected to have 80 buses when it opens (although it has capacity for around 100). Whether they intend Woden to have 40 electric & 40 diesel at opening is not known.

So all this tells us for certain is that Yutong deliveries can be expected from mid 2024 and that each depot may be transferring 40 buses to Woden Depot when it opens.

triumph

Note the linked item only quotes weekday utilisation. Does this confirm there is little or no use at weekends? This seems quite contrary to the much promoted emission reductions, in respect of which the electric buses should be used intensively.

2 and 6 charging units for 4 and 12 buses? What is a 'charging unit'? Is it a dual outlet device capable of charging 2 buses simultaneously? Otherwise, to charge consecutively suggests some restraint on availability for service and thus emissions reduction benefit.

Barry Drive

#7
Quote from: triumph on September 09, 2023, 10:19:22 AMWhat is a 'charging unit'? Is it a dual outlet device capable of charging 2 buses simultaneously?
Yes. Tuggeranong Depot uses six "ABB Terra 184 CC" chargers. Each unit can supply 90 kW DC to two buses simultaneously.

It is not yet known what will be installed at Belconnen Depot, but I'd expect they'd use the same charging equipment.