Contract brings New Flyer hybrid buses to King County, Wash.

King County, Wash., announced a contract for the purchase of up to 500 New Flyer articulated buses, most of which will be powered by GM's two-mode hybrid system.

The five-year contract between King County and bus-manufacturer New Flyer Industries, could be worth as much as $400 million. GM supplies New Flyer with the hybrid system for the buses.

King County has been operating a fleet of 214 GM hybrid-powered buses since 2004 and with the addition of this contract, King County could have a total of 714 buses, making it the largest fleet of hybrid-articulated buses. The county will establish a new rapid transit bus service with the first 122 articulated hybrids ordered, according to officials.

The two-mode hybrid diesel-electric drive system for transit buses is manufactured by GM Allison Transmission, headquartered in Indianapolis. Currently, 720 buses with GM's 2-mode hybrid system have been delivered to 56 cities across the U.S. and Canada.