The Societe de transport de Laval (STL) today unveiled Quebec’s first battery-electric city bus with a range of 250 km, which will be used for testing and validation ahead of the 2020 entry into service of the province’s first all-electric bus line. The unveiling event was attended by Eva Nassif, Member of Parliament for Vimy, representing the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; François Bonnardel, Quebec Minister of Transport and Minister responsible for the Estrie Region; and Marc Demers, Mayor of Laval.
Largest contract for electric-bus production
The 100 % electric bus line will comprise 10 such vehicles, acquired as part of the largest contract for electric-bus production ever awarded in Quebec. The STL initiated the project to procure 10 40-foot slow-charge electric buses in collaboration with the Association du transport urbain du Quebec (ATUQ). The Societe de transport de Montreal (STM) participated in the call for tenders with an order of 30 additional buses.
First battery-electric city bus
Besides reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 70 to 80 tonnes a year, the electric bus will offer transit users a smoother and, especially, a quieter ride. It has a range of 250 km and will be charged overnight at the STL garage; this type of vehicle will therefore guarantee service flexibility for the transit authority. Canadian-based New Flyer Industries Canada ULC has received the contract to manufacture the battery-electric buses for the STL, for summer 2020 delivery.
Procurement of the buses is made possible thanks to $9.6 million in financial assistance from the governments of Canada and Quebec, through the federal Gas Tax Fund (GTF) and the Programme d’aide aux immobilisations en transport en commun (public transit capital acquisitions assistance program) of the Societe de financement des infrastructures locales du Quebec (SOFIL), respectively. The Government of Canada is contributing $6.8 million, while the Government of Quebec is extending $2.8 million in aid.
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