New Flyer has announced that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) has exercised options for 75 forty-foot Xcelsior hybrid-electric transit buses and 25 forty-foot Xcelsior CHARGE NG battery-electric transit buses.
All options are being exercised from New Flyer’s existing Q4 backlog, with the purchases set to be supported by a mix of federal, state and local funds awarded through the Federal Transit Administration Low or No Emission grant programme.
The new vehicles will replace a number of end-of-life buses, and are being positioned to provide Metro customers with a modernised passenger experience, whilst also delivering on Metro’s five-year Strategic Transformation Plan, which aims to see the Authority become the region’s most trusted transportation option.
Chris Stoddart, President of North American Bus and Coach at NFI, said:New Flyer is committed to continuing our decades-long relationship with Metro, providing buses that deliver strong value, reliability, and performance.
As Metro phases out aging buses, New Flyer’s Buy America-compliant, advanced hybrid and battery-electric vehicles will boost the efficiency, power, and overall service quality of its transit system while fueling good manufacturing jobs and economic opportunity across the United States.
The order originates from an initial purchase of 100 new New Flyer hybrid-electric buses announced in February 2025.
