In Austin, Texas, the Capital Metro Transportation Authority (CapMetro) has executed an option to order 26 40-foot battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG transit buses from NFI’s subsidiary, New Flyer of America.
This is part of a five-year contract originally announced in November 2021 for CapMetro to order up to 126 40-foot and up to 15 60-foot battery-electric buses.
Chris Stoddart, President, North American Bus and Coach, NFI said:Our partnership with CapMetro spans over 25 years, and, during this time, New Flyer has delivered more than 300 buses. NFI commends CapMetro on its commitment to environmental sustainability, a critical step on the path to a zero-emission future.
The Xcelsior CHARGE NG is our latest EV – capable of avoiding up to 135 tons of greenhouse gas per year from tailpipe emissions – and will deliver innovative and sustainable mobility in the greater Austin region. Built on the proven Xcelsior platform, these EVs feature consistent vehicle design with all propulsion systems in CapMetro's fleet, resulting in consistent training, parts, and service support on these vehicle systems.
The 26 newly ordered buses will form a zero-emissions at tailpipe fleet for CapMetro’s Rapid project, which will introduce four new bus lines in Austin.
They will each feature high-energy batteries, protective battery packaging for simplified installation and serviceability, and a lightweight electric traction drive system with up to 90% energy recovery.
Earlier this year, CapMetro also ordered 30 Heliox 180kWh depot overhead chargers from NFI Infrastructure Solutions to further advance its electrification initiatives.
