The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) has awarded New Flyer Industries Canada ULC a five-year contract for 40-foot battery-electric buses that includes a firm order for 186 Xcelsior CHARGE NG heavy-duty transit buses, as well as the option for TTC to purchase up to an additional 435 of the same buses, for a total potential order of 621 buses over the duration of the contract.
The contract also includes options for other agencies in Ontario to enter into their own agreements with New Flyer for up to 550 buses over four years, the company notes.
These next-generation battery-electric buses will help TTC, which operates one of the largest fleets of battery-electric buses in North America, meet its goal of converting its entire fleet to zero emissions by 2040, as outlined in the TTC Green Bus Technology Plan. As part of that plan, TTC previously purchased 25 New Flyer battery-electric buses that were used in a head-to-head pilot project comparing electric vehicles from several manufacturers. Following that trial, TTC published a report observing New Flyer outperformed competitors in several key measurements including fleet availability, reliability and energy consumption.
The order builds on a 2022 TTC firm award to NFI for 134 Xcelsior® 40-foot hybrid-electric heavy-duty transit buses and 68 Xcelsior 60-foot hybrid-electric buses. That four-year contract includes options for up to an additional 263 40-foot hybrid-electric buses and 100 60-foot buses, respectively.
Built on New Flyer’s Xcelsior platform, the Xcelsior CHARGE NG bus incorporates three main technology advancements, including high-energy batteries, advanced protective battery packaging for easy installation and simpler serviceability, and a new lightweight electric traction drive system with up to 90% energy recovery.