NFI subsidiary, New Flyer of America has received an order to supply 80 Xcelsior CHARGE NG electric buses to Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) for operation in Boston.
In addition, this order includes options to purchase an additional 380 buses at a later date. The contract therefore marks a significant step forward in MBTA’s mission to transition to an all-electric bus fleet.
Specifically, MBTA has ordered 48 buses with New Flyer’s standard two-door configuration and 32 buses with an additional streetside door for dual-side boarding. All buses will be 40 feet long.
The new three-door design for 40-foot buses is one of New Flyer’s latest offerings to provide faster, more flexible platform boarding options.
The purchase is supported by funds from the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Low or No Emission grant programme.
“The Xcelsior CHARGE NG incorporates the latest innovations of our battery-electric bus technology, which leads to a more efficient vehicle with longer range and better serviceability. The use of our proven Xcelsior platform will also make it easier for the MBTA to integrate these new vehicles into their fleet, due to the high commonality in training, parts, and service operations for the different propulsion options across the Xcelsior product family.”
