New South Wales’ South Coast is set to become a new manufacturing hub for electric public transport, once a new electric bus manufacturing facility is complete.
Australian-owned bus manufacturer Foton Mobility Distribution is set to build a 6000m2 facility in South Nowra from late 2025, subject to council approval.
The announcement follows the State Government awarding a contract to Foton to deliver 126 battery electric buses that will be built in Nowra and service bus routes across Greater Sydney.
The facility will also produce battery electric trucks, as well as hydrogen fuel cell engines, creating around 100 ongoing quality, skilled manufacturing jobs for local workers.
Foton’s bus contract was one of the first bus orders made through the New South Wales Government’s Zero Emission Buses (ZEB) program.
This program is also converting eleven existing bus depots in Greater Sydney to battery electric technology, building a new battery electric depot at Macquarie Park and procuring around 1200 new electric buses by 2028.
Transport for NSW is delivering the ZEB program in stages in close consultation with industry, including manufacturers, to provide an opportunity to increase capability and capacity supported by a published pipeline of bus orders.
The New South Wales Government said the facility delivers on its commitment to domestic manufacturing, supporting local jobs and local industry to build the public transport the state needs.
New South Wales Premier, Chris Minns, said the state-of-the-art facility in Nowra will create ongoing skilled jobs in regional New South Wales while also delivering emissions free world class public transport for locals.
“Workers across New South Wales are great at building public transport like these buses, and under our government they’re building them here again,” he said.
New South Wales Minister for Transport, Jo Haylen, said, “Once our partners at Foton get this plant up and running there will be an extra 100 quality manufacturing jobs right here. That’s great news for Nowra and a big boost for New South Wales manufacturing.
Ms Haylen said the State Government wants local manufacturers and suppliers have good opportunities to get involved in building the Zero Emissions Buses the state needs.
“That’s why we have structured our zero-emissions bus program in a way that builds our bus manufacturing capacity for the long term.
“We are at the beginning of our project to build the clean, green buses of the future.
“There will be many more orders to come for Sydney, outer metropolitan and regional New South Wales and many good quality, skilled manufacturing jobs that will be created thanks to the State Government’s support for building our buses, trains and ferries right here in Australia.”
New South Wales Minister for Domestic Manufacturing and Government Procurement, Courtney Houssos, said the new facility shows the high-quality products that New South Wales workers and businesses can deliver.
“This is an important milestone as we deliver on our pledge to bring domestic manufacturing back to New South Wales.”
New South Wales Member for South Coast, Liza Butler, said the proposed new bus factory in Nowra will provide fantastic employment opportunities for up to 100 people once fully operational and enable the re-skilling and upskilling of many workers who wish to be a part of the transition to zero-emissions transport.”
