California’s Foothill Transit Orders 20 Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Electric Buses from NFI Subsidiary New Flyer
NFI Group Inc. (“NFI” or the “Company”), a leading independent bus and coach manufacturer and a leader in electric mass mobility solutions, today announced that its subsidiary New Flyer of America Inc. (“New Flyer”) has received a new contract from Foothill Transit for 20 zero-emission, hydrogen fuel cell-electric Xcelsior CHARGE H2™ forty-foot heavy-duty transit buses. This order is supported by Federal Transit Administration (“FTA”) funds.
Foothill Transit is based in West Covina, California, operating one of the largest fleets of electric buses in America and providing over 14 million trips annually in the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys. Foothill Transit is a leader in deploying zero-emission bus (“ZEB”) technology in the United States – it was the first in the country to put battery-electric buses on the road, and was the first bus-only public transit system in North America to reach the American Public Transportation Association’s Platinum Level for its significant sustainability achievements.
Paul Soubry, President and Chief Executive Officer, NFI, said:Foothill Transit is a leader in the adoption and deployment of electric mass mobility. This order demonstrates that there is no ‘one size fits all’ for electrification, and that operators require a range of bus sizes and propulsion systems to optimize their service offering.
Since 2004, NFI has supported the agency’s progressive sustainability goals with nearly 380 low-emission, compressed natural gas buses delivered, and, more recently, two Alexander Dennis E500 battery-electric double deck buses.
Doran Barnes, Chief Executive Officer, Foothill Transit, said:We were excited to be the first grid-powered battery electric bus pioneer, and have continued our zero emissions evolution with the first battery electric Alexander Dennis double deck bus launch earlier this year. Our path to a fully zero emission fleet continues with the addition of NFI hydrogen fuel cell technology. We envision a future where a variety of strategies work together to allow us to achieve our zero emission goals.
The Xcelsior CHARGE H2™ is a battery-electric vehicle using compressed hydrogen as an energy source and range extender, requiring only 6-20 minutes to refuel. Fuel cell-electric technology is fully zero-emission and an innovative way to obtain extended-range operation similar to existing transit vehicles. Built on New Flyer’s proven Xcelsior® platform, the Xcelsior CHARGE H2™ can save 85 to 135 tons of greenhouse gas per year from tailpipe emissions compared to a diesel bus. For more information, visit newflyer.com/chargeh2.
Chris Stoddart, President, North American Bus and Coach, said:Our Xcelsior CHARGE H2 buses, developed by leveraging years of experience producing hydrogen fuel cell buses, are a game changer for North American operators. These buses – which can travel up to 350 miles on a single refueling – not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also deliver extended range, fast fill times, and no reduction in performance from beginning to end of life.
NFI is a leader in zero-emission mobility, with electric vehicles operating (or on order) in more than 80 cities in five countries. NFI offers the widest range of zero-emission battery and fuel cell-electric buses and coaches, and the Company’s vehicles have completed over 40 million EV service miles. Today, NFI supports growing North American cities with scalable, clean, and sustainable mobility solutions through a four-pillar approach that includes buses and coaches, technology, infrastructure, and workforce development.
NFI also operates the Vehicle Innovation Center (“VIC”), the first and only innovation lab of its kind dedicated to advancing bus and coach technology and providing workforce development. Since opening late 2017, the VIC has hosted over 300 interactive events, welcoming 4,000 industry professionals for EV and infrastructure training.
This article was originally published by New Flyer.
