Companies news • Interview
Dan Porter talks about Nexport's expansion in Australia
Dan Porter, Nexport Chief Commercial Officer, discusses Nexport and zero-emissions public transports in an interview with Australasian Bus & Coach.
Nexport Chief Commercial Officer, Dan Porter sat down with ABC (Australasian Bus & Coach) to discuss what the zero-emissions brand has learnt about deploying electric buses in Australia. ABC chatted with Nexport’s Dan Porter about how Nexport is approaching an exciting year ahead.
How has the journey been for you and the team so far? How has Nexport grown since first starting in Australia?
It’s been an intense ride over the past 12 months for me personally and the rest of the team – many of whom have been with the company for more than three years.
Nexport’s experience started with the acquisition of a bus body building business that had deployed more than 500 buses in Australia. In 2019, we made the decision to build under the Nexport brand and focus only on zero-emissions vehicles.
Our first electric buses went to Sydney Airport in 2016 and are still in operation. Since then, we have deployed more than 80 electric buses that have driven nearly six million kilometres.
We also developed the capability to help customers transition to zero-emissions through operational analysis, bus and charger deployment maintenance, depot upgrade and aftercare – a true one-stop shop offering.
Nexport being a bus company, what will you now focus on in Australia?
Nexport is going to focus on being a passenger vehicle company that builds the best buses and vans in Australia.
Technology and weight reduction are critical to this and will allow us to either carry more passengers for the same battery capacity or increase range by adding batteries proportional to weight loss achieved. These are decisions that can be made upon understanding the customer’s operational environment.
Range anxiety remains a concern in Australia, especially in regional areas, but it shouldn’t be! Our next generation buses can go up to 500km while offering industry leading passenger capacities.
The major concern for zero-emissions buses centres around safety. How does Nexport emphasise safety among its growing fleet?
Safety is definitely a major concern and it means different things to different people. For example, bus drivers would look at the safety of the cockpit.
We know from European experiences that small investments in things like cockpit ergonomics can benefit operators through increased productivity and reduced injury – we’re absolutely committed to working with drivers to create safe working spaces.
Another is to take a systems-based approach. We’re introducing safety systems that are considered standard in a car, such as lane departure and proximity warnings, driver fatigue and seat belt alerts as well as 360-degree views around the bus.
Then there is the physical safety of the bus itself. We remain vigilant of battery technologies and the risks posed and ensure appropriate measures are considered during our design, engineering and manufacturing process.
Interview conducted by Australasian Bus & Coach on 15 March 2023
Source: Australasian Bus & Coach
