The ACT Government wants to invest more money in electric buses, despite an evaluation finding the buses failed to complete more than a third of their peak-period journeys, in some instances because of breakdowns.

A government-commissioned evaluation found the electric buses missed one in three peak services

A government-commissioned evaluation found the electric buses missed one in three peak services But ACT Transport Minister Chris Steel says they are a "viable alternative" for Canberra

But ACT Transport Minister Chris Steel says they are a "viable alternative" for Canberra The ACT Government wants to buy 84 electric buses in the coming years

Throughout the 12-month trial period, Canberra's two electric buses missed 35.7 per cent of their services, compared to just 0.8 per cent for the low-emissions diesel alternative, which makes up most of the ACT's bus fleet.

The government-commissioned evaluation did not specify what caused the breakdowns and missed services for the electric buses, but the ABC was told of issues and delays servicing the electric vehicles when problems arose.

But, while releasing the findings this morning, ACT Transport Minister Chris Steel said the trial demonstrated the buses were a "viable alternative" for the city.

Plans are now being drawn up to include electric buses in a fleet of 84 new buses being bought in coming years.

The ACT Government pointed to the unsurprising finding that electric vehicles are far less emissions-intensive than the diesel alternative as a reason to create an electric fleet.

Mr Steel said reliability was clearly a problem, but he was confident the Government could buy buses without such problems.

"The new buses that are coming onto the market now are much improved in terms of their build quality, and are much more reliable," he said.

The Government recently committed to reducing its transport emissions to zero by 2040, including a full transition away from diesel buses.

Mr Steel said despite the results, the trial proved that could be done.

"Electric buses are a viable alternative for our bus fleet in the future, and we're now doing the detailed work that we need to do to transition our fleet," he said.

However, he made clear the vehicles they bought would have to be more reliable than those used during the trial.

"We're hoping the new buses on the market will be able to deliver the reliability that the buses trial didn't," he said.

Industry figures criticise 'incomplete' trial

Some industry figures have criticised the trial and its results, arguing while it was good of the ACT Government to be willing to trial the technology, little could be taken from the results.

That included the use of the Carbridge Toro, an "airport-style" bus designed to ferry passengers on short journeys between carparks and runways.

Currently the ACT's diesel buses offer twice the average range of electric buses, at 810km versus 450km.

But Toby Roxburgh, who runs electric bus infrastructure provider Electromotiv, said the results were a misrepresentation of the technology's capability and that electric buses were reliable.

"Electric buses are as reliable as diesel buses, and electric buses have a lot less moving parts than a diesel bus," he said.

"The great thing about electric buses is you don't have to worry about an engine failure."

Mr Roxburgh said the ACT was on the right path, as other jurisdictions around the globe take an increasing interest in electric buses.