Hydrogen and electric buses near completion at Custom Denning

National bus manufacturer Custom Denning is completing the build of Australia’s first locally designed and built electric and hydrogen/electric buses at their St Marys, Sydney facility.

Available for delivery from March 2021, the first of five prototypes have begun production with completion due in November and December 2020, when they will be trialled with a select number of operators.

These prototypes are four battery electric buses ‘Element’, followed by one hydrogen fuel cell electric, the ‘Element H2’.

Features include advanced solid state LMP batteries, a two-stage electric drive motor and an advanced regeneration system, coupled with a “smart” Charging system.

The company aims to create a demand for zero emission buses throughout Australasia that in turn will enhance skills in advanced manufacturing and bring jobs back to Australia.

Denning said the buses offered competitive pricing against foreign imports whilst offering other economic benefits of local manufacturing, lower operating costs and health benefits over traditional fossil fuel buses.

The company has manufacturing operations at St Marys, Acacia Ridge in Brisbane, and Wingfield in Adelaide.

As part of World EV Day federal member for Lindsay Melissa McIntosh (pictured) visited Custom Denning and inspected the first Element bus in production.

She said on Facebook: “Scott and Grant of Custom Denning told me today at our visit their new electric bus is the first top to bottom Australian designed and manufactured electric bus – and even better it is made right here in St Marys!

“Every possible component is Australian manufactured, from the chassis to the seat covers and passenger handrails.”

Picture: Custom Denning/ Melissa McIntosh with Scott and Grant at Custom Denning

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