Gold Coast pilots electric school buses to inspire curious young minds

While the economy of electric buses may make them an increasingly attractive public transportation option, 4th grader Annabelle Nicolson has different reasons to love her new electric ride to school.

Key points:

• Hillcrest Christian College begins trial of the first school-run electric bus on the Gold Coast
• Transport research shows car dependence increases congestion around schools
• A Griffith researcher predicts absorption in the use of electric vehicles in public transport as costs fall

“If the gas is released from the bus into the air, then we, plants and animals can get sick,” he said.

Annabelle will be one of the first students at Hillcrest Christian College to board her new electric bus as part of an upcoming trial.

The trial is the only one of its kind on the Gold Coast, with the school hoping to transition its fleet over five years.

But according to the Griffith University Transportation Research Group, as fuel prices rise and maintenance costs fall, more schools will have to follow suit.

“We’re at an inflection point now, where if you’re setting up new operations with depots and fleets, you might want to invest in electricity,” said Matthew Burke of Griffith University.

“Costs are just starting to become clear that’s what you’re doing, especially with fuel prices soaring in recent months,” Professor Burke said.

“The maintenance burden, in particular, of electric vehicles is significantly lower than that of internal combustion engines.”

Hillcrest students Milena Garcia Mariano, Emilia Savage and Annabella Nicholson on the trolleybus.(ABC Gold Coast: Camille Chorley)

Transport problem ‘unsustainable’

Professor Burke said Griffith’s study had shown an unsustainable trend in Gold Coast transportation, with about three-quarters of students being driven to school by car.

“People have turned to SUVs, which with light trucks, about three-quarters of all sales here now,” he said.

“It’s quite polluting.”

The Gold Coast City Council’s transportation strategy, which is currently under revision, suggests an increase in the population from 640,000 to one million people by 2041 “could lead to a doubling of car trips on our road network by 2031”.

Moreover, each car only carries around one person on average during peak hours.

But Professor Burke said the Gold Coast had taken steps in the right direction, with the opening of Australia’s first 100 percent electric bus depot at Currumbin earlier this year which will serve 14 local fleets.

“I first drove this vehicle in China in Guangzhou,” he said.

“100 per cent of their fleet is now electric, it’s been a long time, and as a user it’s a lot more fun than taking the bus in Australia.”

The ‘unbearable’ economic outlook

While the up-front cost of electric vehicles exceeds their combustion alternatives, Professor Burke said that is expected to change over time with the price of core minerals used in EV production falling.

“I imagine most of the fleet will be converted over the next 10 years simply because the economy is irresistible,” he said.

“It’s just going to be cheaper to run, cheaper to maintain in the long run.”

The electric bus depot at Currumbin is powered by renewable energy, including 56 kilowatt solar panels.(Provided: Translink)

State government estimates suggest low-end EVs cost $3 per 100 km to run, compared to $14.25 for a four-cylinder internal combustion engine.

EV manufacturer Nexport estimates that its electric buses are 30 percent cheaper to maintain than their diesel counterparts.

“The charging time on the bus under test is between four and five hours,” said Nexport’s director of mobility, Pierre El Chiekh.

“Our standard range is around 320 [kilometres].”

A lesson in the unknown

Hillcrest has begun pilot testing buses along school pick-up routes with weights to test range, operating costs and load capacity.

But Hillcrest finance manager Rachel Collins said there were also symbolic lessons for students.

“The jobs our children would go to, 65 percent of them don’t even exist,” he said.

The Gold Coast faces congestion problems due to the relatively high level of car dependency.(ABC Gold Coast: Dominic Cansdale)

“All we can teach them is curiosity about the world, research and find their way.

“When we bring in new technology early, like buses, we model that we don’t really understand everything, we will make mistakes, and we may have problems charging the bus or problems along the way.

“But that’s life, and that’s what you need to learn.”

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