Toronto launches third electric bus variant
With the arrival of a third electric bus model, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) now has what it claims to be the largest fleet of electric buses in North America. However, the superlative claim will soon be taken by the city of LA in the USA.
The fleet consists of 60 vehicles from three manufacturers: BYD, New Flyer and Proterra. 35 of these electric buses have already been put into service, another 25 are currently being tested and are scheduled to go into regular service by the end of September. “This fleet of 60 all-electric buses was only made possible thanks to an investment by the City of Toronto and the Government of Canada of $140 million,” says John Tory, Mayor of Toronto.
The Toronto electric buses are expected to provide insights for further projects in Canada: “The differences between all three electric bus models, including the effect of how they charge on overall performance, will be put to the test as the TTC progresses with its head-to-head comparison to inform future procurements of battery-electric buses,” says the TTC.
Canadian Minister of Infrastructure Catherine McKenna reiterated the goal of 5,000 electric buses across Canada in the next five years, according to the TTC announcement. “Canada’s Infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country and builds stronger communities,” said McKenna.
New Flyer and Proterra vehicles are already in service, and BYD’s first electric bus began operating on route 116 last week. As reported, BYD began delivering the ordered vehicles in January. The K9Ms were manufactured at the Chinese group’s Canadian plant in Newmarket. From Newmarket, BYD also intends to serve the US market.
Toronto will probably soon lose the title of the largest electric bus fleet in North America to a city in the USA. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) has ordered a total of 155 electric buses, 130 of them from BYD. When all these vehicles are delivered by 2022, LA will have the largest fleet of electric buses.
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