Dublin Bus electric charging infrastructure to be ready for use this week

In a significant step towards sustainable public transportation, Dublin Bus has completed the installation of new charging infrastructure at its Summerhill Depot, marking a key milestone in the BusConnects Programme. This week, the depot's charging facilities, capable of recharging 56 battery-electric buses, became fully operational, signalling the start of a greener era for the city's public transport.

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan, alongside representatives from the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Dublin Bus, officially unveiled the new charging infrastructure. This development is part of a broader initiative to introduce electric buses across Dublin, with Phibsborough Depot set to follow suit by December, adding capacity for an additional 80 electric buses.

The transition to electric buses is already underway, with new double-deck battery-electric buses recently deployed on routes 122 and 123. Over 360 Dublin Bus drivers have undergone extensive training to operate these new vehicles. The completion of the charging infrastructure means more electric buses will soon join the fleet.

In 2022, the NTA ordered 120 double-deck battery-electric buses from Wrightbus in Ballymena, Co. Antrim, with Dublin Bus set to operate 100 of these. Further orders have been placed, bringing the total number of buses either in service or on order to 341. This new zero-emission fleet will gradually replace the older diesel-powered buses, with the transition expected to be significantly advanced by 2032. By 2035, Dublin's public bus fleet is planned to be fully zero-emission, phasing out even the low-emission hybrid diesel-electric buses.

These developments — which align with the goals set in the Climate Action Plan, the Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy, and the National Sustainable Mobility Policy Action Plan 2022-2025 — mean that the NTA is on track to meet its targets, including transitioning 50% of Dublin's and 40% of Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Waterford's metropolitan area public service obligation bus services to low/zero emission vehicles. This initiative represents a significant stride towards a cleaner, quieter, and more sustainable urban environment.

Speaking at the unveiling of the new electric bus charging infrastructure, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said: “This change is being driven by electricity as we begin to see the introduction of electric buses on the streets of our capital and then our other cities and towns. This is going to 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.”

To learn more about this new electric bus charging infrastructure, please check the Dublin Bus website.