New Flyer to supply electric bendy buses for the new Madison BRT
Madison, the capital of the US state of Wisconsin, is procuring 46 electric buses from New Flyer. The Xcelsior Charge NG are articulated since they measure 60 feet (about 18 metres), and the US government has funded the order as part of a more extensive rapid transit system.
Metro Transit will deploy the New Flyer buses on its new East-West Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT) in Madison, which is expected to be operational in 2024, according to the announcement from New Flyer parent company NFI Group.
“Metro Transit is excited to partner with New Flyer to help make our ambitious BRT plans a reality,” said Justin Stuehrenberg, General Manager of Metro Transit. “New Flyer’s track record of innovation, quality products, and on-time delivery give us complete confidence that they will be a trustworthy partner for the largest infrastructure project the City of Madison has ever undertaken.”
The battery-electric buses for Metro Transit will have high-power batteries, providing 410 kWh. The company also lists advanced protective battery packaging for easy installation and simpler serviceability and a new lightweight electric traction drive system with up to 90% energy recovery, among the benefits of the Xcelsior Charge NG introduced in 2021.
Chris Stoddart, President North American Bus and Coach at NFI, added, “These 60-foot Charge NG buses will immediately reduce greenhouse gas emissions, delivering cleaner, more sustainable mobility all while providing faster, high-capacity transportation to the City of Madison community.”
Just a few days ago, New Flyer received a significant order from Canada: Winnipeg Transit, the public transport company in Winnipeg, signed a framework agreement with New Flyer to deliver up to 166 zero-emission buses. In addition, Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) had signed a framework agreement for up to 157 buses, not all of which are to be electric, however.
NFI electric vehicles are operating or on order in more than 120 cities in six countries. The company claims its ZEVs have completed more than 85 million service miles.
