Electric Buses Coming to Ontario

Ontario is getting a new pilot program to test electric buses in Brampton and York Region. Minister of Economic Development and Growth Steven Del Duca made the announcement earlier today.

The province will purchase 14 electric buses and four charging stations for the transit systems of York Region and Brampton. The projects will be co-ordinated by the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium. That group is a non profit that works to promote and support alternative technlogies for public transit. Tech like battery electric, hybrid, fuel cells, and other advanced green propulsion. They also help to promote smart infrastructure like smart charging and smart sensors and signals that can help make transit cleaner.

"Our investment in York Region and Brampton demonstrates how we are helping our municipal transit systems reduce their carbon footprint. Reducing greenhouse gas pollution from vehicles is one of the most important actions we can take to fight climate change," said Minister Del Duca.

The 14 buses are expected to be on the road next year. Electric transit buses are becoming more common very quickly. The City of Edmonton announced last week a plan to purchase 40, and said last year that it would purchase only electric buses beginning in 2020. Montreal started a three-bus trial last year and is also now adding 40 new electric buses for various routes. Toronto's own transit commission expects to have 30 electric buses by early next year.

The announcement didn't say which model of bus would be purchased for the pilot, but that it would be in partnership with both Quebec-based Nova Bus and Manitoba-based New Flyer Industries. Both make 40-foot electric transit buses. New Flyer offers a range of up to 418 km thanks to a massive 818 kWh battery. This will be the first transit trial using buses and chargers from multiple manufacturers as well as with two transit systems that have interoperable routes.