New Flyer scores e-bus deal that could prove largest in the US
New Flyer continues its winning streak in the US as the NFI subsidiary receives an order over 30 electric buses from Capital Metro Transportation Authority (CapMetro) in Austin, Texas. New Flyer says this was the largest ever electric bus procurement in the US, considering CapMetro’s option over 141 e-buses.
Breaking down the order, New Flyer will deliver 26 battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG buses and four Xcelsior CHARGE NG buses first. The CapMetro contract further includes options to purchase up to 126 forty-foot (12m) and up to 15 sixty-foot battery-electric buses (18m) over the next five years and up to 427 chargers (197 depot plug-in chargers, 197 overhead depot chargers, and 33 on route chargers).
New Flyer did not disclose the order’s value but said it has worked with CapMetro for over 20 years.
CapMetro is Austin’s public transportation provider, delivering over 20 million annual trips. The award would advance CapMetro’s Project Connect, so Proterra, aiming to electrify the operator’s entire fleet of more than 400 transit vehicles – most of these are New Flyer ICE models.
“For over 20 years, NFI has propelled CapMetro’s expansion of safe, reliable, and accessible mobility in Austin, with 344 buses delivered since 1997,” said Chris Stoddart, President, North American Bus and Coach. “Project Connect is evolving CapMetro’s fleet toward cleaner, quieter, more sustainable mobility, and building a more livable Austin.”
CapMetro President and CEO Randy Clarke added, “With this electric bus procurement, we are showing our dedication to a cleaner tomorrow.”
New Flyer claims the Xcelsior CHARGE NG battery-electric buses deliver up to 525kWh of power and 250 miles of range on a single charge and, over a 12-year lifespan, offer up to $125,000 in maintenance savings and up to $400,000 in fuel savings.
New Flyer and CapMetro will undertake a commemorative contract signing at next week’s American Public Transportation Association (APTA) TRANSform conference and Expo in Orlando, Florida.
The order from Austin almost equals another in size – New Flyer had received an order including an option for up to 150 battery-electric buses through the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority of Buffalo, New York (NFTA-Metro) only in October as reported. Should CapMetro exercise the option, Austin will see a fleet of 171 Proterra electric buses by 2026.
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