Translink has announced plans to add 15 electric buses to its fleet to help reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 45% by 2030.
The deal will also be all Canadian. With funding from the federal government, Translink awarded the $16 million contract to Quebec-based Nova Bus. When they join the fleet in early 2022 they will operate on the No. 100 route through New Westminster, Burnaby, and Vancouver.
With the purchase Translink’s fleet of electric buses will more than quadruple from 4 to 19, with plans to add more in the future.
“Zero-emission battery-electric buses are the future of the transit industry, and this order more than quadruples our existing battery-electric bus fleet, bringing us one step closer to achieving our aggressive climate targets. TransLink already has one of the biggest electric trolleybus networks in North America, with 262 trolleybuses in service, and a SkyTrain network operating entirely on electricity. It’s exciting to be able to build on our success and move into a more sustainable era for public transit in Metro Vancouver,” said Kevin Desmond, TransLink CEO.
According to data from the transit authority, each electric bus is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 100 tonnes. They will also save $40,000 in fuel costs per year compared to a conventional diesel bus.
The buses will be able to be charged in as approximately 5 minutes at charging stations while picking up passengers.
