Metro welcomes its first electric double-decker bus – the lightest in the country!
From Monday 2 March 2026, the country’s first lightweight electric double-decker will officially join Metro’s fleet. Developed by global automotive innovator Geely and bus operator Kinetic, the bus is light enough that it doesn’t require a weight permit.
Canterbury Regional Council (Environment Canterbury) Chair Dr Deon Swiggs is thrilled to welcome this innovative new bus to our fleet.
“It will help add extra capacity to our network where we need it the most,” Chair Swiggs said.
The bus is intended to start on our Route 7 Halswell-Queenspark service and will be tested on several of Metro’s busier routes.
A long time in the making
“It took almost two years to perfect this bus – this is the fourth version Geely made. The intense development and testing of this vehicle demonstrates how cutting edge it is,” Chair Swiggs said.
Earlier prototypes didn’t meet New Zealand’s strict road weight requirements. This final version was engineered to comply fully, making it the first double-decker electric vehicle in the country to operate without a special permit.
Built with aerospace-grade aluminium technology, similar to that used in the Airbus A380, the bus has a stronger and lighter frame than traditional steel construction – reducing road wear, tyre and brake use, and energy consumption.
Chair Deon Swiggs in the new bus
More than 30 engineers from across the industry worked on the project together, collaborating across time zones to make the vehicle a reality.
Special features
The bus can take up to 95 customers including 14 standing downstairs. One feature of the new bus is a customer loading screen on the ground level to indicate how many seats are left upstairs. Cameras located on the upper level allow the driver to see who is deboarding, so they can wait the appropriate amount of time for customers to hop off once the bus has come to a complete stop.
Canterbury Regional Council Core Service Lead Councillor Joe Davies said this is a significant technology milestone not just for Canterbury, but the country.
“We’re proud to be the first public transport authority to bring this exceptional new zero-emission vehicle to the public.
“We’re looking forward to using this bus to better serve our community for the next 12 months. As the trial period goes on, we’ll be able to assess its benefits and consider our options going forward,” Cr Davies said.
Public transport leaders
Calum Haslop, Managing Director of Kinetic New Zealand, said the bus represents a significant step forward for public transport in the country, and is particularly transformative for Christchurch’s unique network.
“We’re thrilled to see our lightweight electric double-decker now on the road in Christchurch. By working closely with Geely, we were able to deliver a bus that meets New Zealand’s strict regulatory requirements while being light enough to operate safely across the city’s bridges and sensitive infrastructure.
“It’s efficient, practical, and designed to help Environment Canterbury bring next-generation, zero-emission public transport to their communities.”
Inside the top story of the new bus
The double-decker is the first electric version in Metro’s fleet, and the second double-decker Metro has. It brings Metro’s total number of electric vehicles to 71, and even closer to its goal of having a fully electric fleet by 2035.