Toronto Transit Commission Rolls Out First New All-Electric Bus

In a continued effort to modernize service, innovate for the long term and improve the lives of Torontonians, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is welcoming new vehicles to the bus family.

These electric vehicles operate on truly green propulsion technology with zero tailpipe emissions. They are just one of the ways the TTC and City of Toronto are working towards a greener future by 2040. The new eBuses are expected to deliver improved vehicle and service reliability, better value-for-money with savings in fuel and maintenance costs, significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, reduced noise pollution and improved local air quality. Also, in Ontario, generation of electricity for overnight charging is 100-percent nuclear and completely free of GHG emissions.

The TTC will have 60 eBuses delivered by the end of Q1 2020. These vehicles will be procured from three different suppliers, New Flyer, Proterra and BYD, to ensure that the organization is able to effectively evaluate what works best for our customers.

The TTC is working with partners at Toronto Hydro and Panasonic Eco Solutions Canada to prepare for the arrival of the new vehicles by performing hydro service upgrades, installing switchgear and transformers to lay the groundwork for the installation of chargers and retrofitting the garages to be all-electric. This also includes conducting electrical and civil construction upgrades, providing supporting infrastructure for the bus garage (e.g., substation, backup generator and related equipment).

The Government of Canada, Province of Ontario, and City of Toronto are investing $140 million in this program. Through the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF) alone the federal government is contributing up to 50 percent of the funding. Working beyond the eBus Program, this fund is helping keep Torontonians moving through investments in the repair, modernization and expansion of the city’s transit and active transportation networks.

The TTC’s priority is to deliver safe, reliable service for their customers. By 2040, they plan to do this with an entirely zero emissions fleet. The new eBuses are just one piece of a larger environmentally friendly puzzle to improve air quality in the city and plan for climate change.

In addition to having one of the largest mini-fleets of electric buses in North America, the TTC is also employing other eco-friendly technology such as new generation hybrid buses and green roofs on some of their garages. As the organization continues to modernize their service, introducing green initiatives is essential in the process.

This is an environmental win for the TTC and the entire City of Toronto. To learn more about the TTC’s plan to go green and how you can spot these vehicles on a route near you, visit www.ttc.ca/green.