Sunshine West depot to run 60 zero-emission buses as Kinetic completes electrification upgrades

Kinetic, the largest bus operator in Australasia and a leading multi-modal mass transit operator, has completed electrification upgrades at its Sunshine West bus depot in Melbourne's west, which will run 60 zero-emission buses by the end of 2026.

The upgrades lift the number of zero-emission buses the site can charge from 24 to 66, and the infrastructure has been built to support up to 82 as more buses arrive. Passengers can expect to ride emissions free on routes 215, 216, 220, 223, 232 and 429, as well as on some Fisherman’s Bend to CBD services.

20 hybrid buses will remain based at Sunshine West to support the 901, 902 and 903 orbital routes, which are among the longest in Melbourne's bus network.

The works also include the automated charging technology first introduced at Kinetic's Heatherton depot, keeping our people and depot infrastructure safer. Load management software distributes charging across the site overnight, keeping demand within the depot's power limits while ensuring every bus is ready for the morning.

The upgrade, delivered in partnership with the Victorian Government, installs three overhead gantries carrying 38 charge points in the first stage and built to house up to 54.

Two fast chargers provide high-capacity opportunity charging and a second electrical kiosk increases the power available on site.

The technology follows Kinetic's earlier gantry installations at its Glenfield depot in Auckland and its Preston and Heatherton depots in Melbourne.

Kinetic Managing Director (Australia) Matthew Campbell says the scale of the upgrade reflects the depot's role in Melbourne's west.

"By the end of this year, Sunshine West will operate 60 zero-emission buses. For a depot of this size, serving a part of Melbourne that relies heavily on its bus network, that is a significant shift.

"We have built in headroom deliberately. The infrastructure here can support more zero-emission buses than we will have at the depot this year, so we are ready as more arrive.

"Alongside Heatherton, Sunshine West shows what can be achieved by upgrading depots already in service, working closely with the Victorian Government and with our building and bus manufacturing partners."

Sunshine West was one of Victoria's first depots to charge electric buses, electrified under Kinetic's Metropolitan Bus Franchise and recognised with a Premier's Sustainability Award. Charging runs entirely on renewable energy from the grid, with more than 300 solar panels providing additional green energy support for the depot.

Kinetic operates over a third of Melbourne's public bus network, running 64 routes across the city since taking on the Metropolitan Bus Franchise in February 2022 and the Metropolitan Zero Emission Bus Franchise in July 2025.