New Flyer Industries Canada ULC, a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc. and manufacturer of heavy-duty transit buses, has agreed to a contract with BC Transit Corporation for 33 next-generation Xcelsior CHARGE NG 40-foot battery electric buses. The contract was added to New Flyer’s firm backlog in the second quarter of 2024.
BC Transit oversees municipal transit services for over 130 communities across the province of British Columbia and has an annual ridership of more than 47 million passenger trips. In 2019, the company announced its Low Carbon Fleet Program, which outlined the agency’s plan to expand its fleet and replace aging fleet vehicles with a focus on reducing greenhouse gases. BC Transit’s current goal is to transition to an entirely electric fleet by 2040.
“We are pleased to partner with New Flyer to electrify our fleet, which is a significant part of our plan to reduce GHG emissions,” says Erinn Pinkerton, president and CEO for BC Transit. “With other active procurements underway and work advancing on charging infrastructure designs in communities, it’s an exciting time for BC Transit, New Flyer and our partners.”
NFI and BC Transit’s partnership spans more than 45 years, during which the agency has operated a variety of vehicles from different companies under the NFI umbrella. Currently, more than 600 of the vehicles operating as part of BC Transit’s fleet of over 1,100 buses are from NFI subsidiaries, including New Flyer, Alexander Dennis and ARBOC.
“New Flyer and BC Transit have a long-standing relationship and a shared dedication to taking bold steps in moving toward a zero-emission future, and this Xcelsior CHARGE NG purchase builds on both,” says Chris Stoddart, president, North American Bus and Coach, NFI. “The next-generation battery electric buses included in this purchase incorporate our latest technology advancements, but they also share a high level of commonality with the Xcelsior buses already operated by BC Transit, which will streamline training and maintenance requirements as the agency transitions to a greener fleet.”
The Xcelsior CHARGE NG bus incorporates three distinct technology advancements: high-energy batteries, advanced protective battery packaging for easy installation and simpler serviceability, and a lightweight electric traction drive system with up to 90% energy recovery.