NFI Group Inc., a leading independent bus and coach manufacturer and a leader in mass mobility solutions, today announced that the Capital Metro Transportation Authority (CapMetro) has awarded NFI subsidiary New Flyer of America Inc. a contract for 26 battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG™ forty-foot heavy-duty transit buses and four battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG™ sixty-foot heavy-duty transit buses (34 equivalent units or EUs). The five-year contract includes options to purchase up to 126 forty-foot and up to 15 sixty-foot battery-electric buses, and up to 427 chargers (197 depot plug-in chargers, 197 depot overhead chargers, and 33 on route chargers).
This procurement is one of the largest battery-electric bus orders in North American history and is the largest ever battery-electric bus procurement in the United States.
CapMetro is Austin’s public transportation provider, delivering over 20 million annual trips through bus, paratransit, and commuter rail services. The award will advance CapMetro’s Project Connect, aiming to bridge initiatives addressing equity, sustainability, and innovation by reimagining and implementing its transit program, and electrifying its entire fleet of more than 400 transit vehicles.
“For over 20 years, NFI has propelled CapMetro’s expansion of safe, reliable, and accessible mobility in Austin, with 344 buses delivered since 1997,” said Chris Stoddart, President, North American Bus and Coach. “With our advanced electric buses – which offer lighter weight, up to 13% longer range, and up to 90% better energy recovery – Project Connect is evolving CapMetro’s fleet toward cleaner, quieter, more sustainable mobility, and building a more livable Austin.”
New Flyer’s Xcelsior CHARGE NG™ battery-electric buses deliver up to 525kWh of power and 250 miles of range on a single charge and, over a 12-year lifespan, offer up to $125,000 in maintenance savings and up to $400,000 in fuel savings. New Flyer’s zero-emission deployments are supported by NFI Infrastructure Solutions™, providing safe and reliable infrastructure services for smart, sustainable mobility projects with over 200 chargers installed to date.
“This announcement is a major milestone for CapMetro as we strive to provide safe, clean and equitable transportation for our community for generations to come,” said CapMetro President and CEO Randy Clarke. “Public transportation has a bright future in Central Texas as we continue to bring Project Connect to life in the coming years. With this electric bus procurement, we are showing our dedication to a cleaner tomorrow.”
New Flyer and CapMetro will undertake a commemorative contract signing at next week’s American Public Transportation Association (“APTA”) TRANSform conference and EXPO, taking place in Orlando, Florida.