Auckland, New Zealand – 31st October 2025

In a move to accelerate the nation’s transition to cleaner, zero-emission transport, Ritchies and Zenobē announce one of New Zealand’s largest ever electric bus rollouts.

The project will see 172 new electric buses deployed across Auckland over the next 9 months — increasing Ritchies’ electric fleet more than fivefold and delivering a major boost to New Zealand’s public transport sustainability goals.

Zenobē, a global leader in EV fleet electrification and battery solutions, will design, build and deliver six new electric bus depots across West and South Auckland. The first depot goes live today for AT Services commencing on Sunday 2^nd November, with all remaining depots to be completed by August 2026. Zenobē will also provide its innovative ‘Battery as a Service’ solution for the whole fleet through which Zenobē will finance and manage the lifecycle of the batteries on the buses.

The rollout represents one of Zenobē’s largest global projects by number of buses and depots and underscores the company’s expanding role in delivering large-scale, zero-emission transport solutions worldwide.

“This is a defining moment for New Zealand’s clean transport journey,” said Gareth Ridge, Zenobē Country Director for Australia and New Zealand. “Through this partnership with Ritchies, we’re not only deploying one of the country’s largest electric bus fleets but also investing in local capability and infrastructure to ensure this transition is successful, scalable, and lasting. We’re proud to help set a new benchmark for sustainable public transport in Aotearoa.”

The project is being delivered on an accelerated timeline to align with Auckland Transport’s network rollout, with early procurement already underway. Zenobē’s local New Zealand team will project manage the site and supervise on-the-ground delivery throughout the project’s duration.

The investment marks a major step forward for New Zealand’s zero-emissions future, lifting the national electric bus fleet by a significant margin and cementing both Ritchies and Zenobē as key partners in building the infrastructure needed for large-scale fleet electrification.