TransLink begins expansion of battery electric bus fleet

Credit: TransLink

TransLink has announced that it is taking another step forward in electrifying its bus fleet, with the introduction of a new type of battery electric bus on 2 February 2023.

The new electric bus is the first of 15 new vehicles that will more than quadruple TransLink’s battery electric bus fleet from four to 19 over the next year. These new buses will fully electrify Route 100 (22nd Street Station / Marpole Loop).

The new electric bus can travel 150km on a single charge and can be topped up by on-route overhead chargers in approximately five minutes. In total, the zero-emission vehicles will save TransLink around $40,000 in fuel costs annually per bus, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by over 1,000 tonnes annually once all 15 buses are in operation.

This expansion is a critical step towards achieving climate targets outlined in TransLink’s Climate Action Strategy and Transport 2050: 10-Year Priorities. Some of these targets include adding more than 400 new battery electric buses by 2030, transitioning to a zero-emission bus fleet by 2040, and having net zero greenhouse gas emissions in all operations by 2050.

Nearly $1.7 billion funding available to deploy clean transit buses across U.S.

Over the coming months, TransLink will order more battery electric buses, as well as the necessary charging infrastructure to support them on more routes.

This $16 million investment towards 15 new battery electric buses has come from the Canada Community Building Fund, which is administered in British Columbia by the Union of B.C. Municipalities. The Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia have committed to supporting the future electrification of the transport authority’s fleet through significant investments in TransLink’s 2022 Investment Plan.

Kevin Quinn, CEO of TransLink, said: “Electrifying our bus fleet and moving to renewable fuels are the fastest ways TransLink can reduce GHG emissions to help combat climate change. Taking transit is already one of the best ways people can reduce their carbon footprint, but through electrification and the actions outlined in our Climate Action Strategy, we’re working to reduce our impact on the climate to zero.”

The Honourable Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for TransLink, said: “Battery electric buses are an important part of the future of public transportation. TransLink’s battery electric bus fleet will provide more sustainable transit options and will help reach our government’s emissions reductions targets set out in the CleanBC Roadmap to 2030.”