Trials in Auckland begin this week for the first double-decker commuter bus in the Southern Hemisphere to be converted from diesel to electric.
Masterton-based Tranzit converted the bus, which has been running in its fleet in Wellington but it believed the concept could appeal to Auckland as a faster way of making the bus fleet zero-emission.
Tranzit’s first move in Auckland would be its own fleet of 20 diesel double-deckers on the NX2 run on the Northern Busway but that would depend on a funding agreement with Auckland Transport (AT).
Auckland has a relatively new fleet of 200 diesel-powered double-deckers that would normally have an economic life of 12 years before being due for replacement with a zero-emission version.
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Click for further reading concerning the [Auckland bus trail](https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/129234357/southern-hemispheres-first-converted-electric-doubledecker-begins-auckland-trial).
