Wrightbus drives into Australia with the hydrogen-powered Kite Hydroliner

Wrightbus bets on Australia — with hydrogen in the window

Northern Irish bus maker Wrightbus, based in Ballymena, is taking a big step: the company is opening its own operation in Australia. At the Australasia Bus & Coach Expo in Sydney (15 July 2026) Wrightbus showed three zero-emission buses, with the hydrogen bus as the eye-catcher.

Which buses?

Wrightbus presented a portfolio that combines battery-electric and hydrogen:

• Kite Hydroliner — a single-deck city bus running on hydrogen (fuel cell).
• Kite Electroliner — the same bus, but battery-electric.
• StreetDeck Electroliner — a battery-electric double-decker (6×2).

A handy detail: the single- and double-deckers share more than 85% of their components. That makes maintenance and spare parts simpler for operators.

Green light in New South Wales

Both Kite models have been approved on the Transport for New South Wales procurement panel. That allows eligible operators in the state to order the buses — an important key to actually getting them on the road.

Not a stranger

Wrightbus is not new to Australia. The first hydrogen bus assembled in Australia rolled off the line in October 2024, in partnership with local body builder Volgren. Now the company is choosing its own presence, with Daniel Castro as Regional Director Asia Pacific and Julian Gurney as head of sales for Australia and New Zealand.

A solid track record

Worldwide, more than 3,000 Wrightbus zero-emission buses are now on the road, together covering over 200 million emission-free kilometres. The company, which celebrates its 80th anniversary this year, has factories in the United Kingdom and Malaysia and more than 2,300 employees.

Why it matters

Buses are an excellent fit for hydrogen: they run long days, cover many kilometres and keep returning to a fixed depot to refuel. We like that Wrightbus offers battery and hydrogen side by side — so every operator can pick the technology that suits the route. More choice and more zero-emission buses on the streets: everyone benefits from that.

Sources

• H2-mobile.fr — Wrightbus lance ses activités en Australie (bus électriques et hydrogène Kite)
• Sustainable Bus — Wrightbus debut in Australia
• Bus-News — Wrightbus launches zero-emission bus range in Australia
• Fuel Cells Works — Wrightbus launches in Australia with battery and hydrogen buses (17 July 2026)