THIS WEEK WILL see progress on the Government’s sustainable transport plans with the completion of the installation of electric bus charging infrastructure in Dublin Bus’ Summerhill Depot in Dublin.

One of two hubs for Dublin city’s new green fleet, the infrastructure will become fully operational this week with the capacity to recharge 56 battery-electric buses.

Charging infrastructure at the second hub in Phibsborough will be completed by the end of December. 

The Phibsborough hub will have the capacity to recharge 80 battery-electric buses.

The two depots will support a minimum of 136 electric buses in total.

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan is at Summerhill Depot this afternoon to unveil the infrastructure. He said the change driven by electricity will be “transformative for our public transport network”.

“It’s going to make our air cleaner and our streets quieter, providing quality and reliable buses for people, and helping us to meet our climate targets for the capital city, and for the country,” Ryan said. 

Delays 

The NTA initially ordered 120 double decker battery-electric buses in 2022, 100 of which will be operated by Dublin Bus with the remaining 20 operated by Bus Éireann.

However, due to a lack of charging infrastructure only some of these buses are currently in operation.

In recent weeks, new double decker battery-electric buses have been operational on certain Dublin Bus routes including the 122 and 123. Over 360 drivers have completed testing, piloting and training programme using the new buses in recent weeks.

Dublin Bus said today that even more of these electric buses will become operational now that the charging infrastructure has been completed. 

Orders have been placed for a further 221 electric buses, of which 120 are destined for operation in Dublin. This brings the total number either in service or on order to 341 buses. 

The new zero-emission fleet will replace the older diesel-powered fleet on an incremental basis as the latter buses reach the end of their efficient operational life.

The Government plans for over 85% of the Dublin fleet to be zero-emission with a minority being low-emission hybrid diesel-electric buses by 2032.

By 2035 it is planned that these hybrid buses will also have been phased out and the fleet will be fully zero-emission.