Vancouver’s TransLink awarded a contract to Nova Bus to add 15 battery-electric buses to its fleet. The order will more than quadruple the agency’s current battery-electric bus fleet, increasing its fleet total from four to 19.

The acquisition is a critical step toward achieving TransLink’s aggressive approach to its Low Carbon Fleet Strategy, which includes:

• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030.

• Fully electrifying route 100 (22nd Street / Marpole Loop).

• Replacing all retiring conventional diesel buses with battery-electric buses.

• Transitioning to a fleet operating entirely on renewable energy by 2050.

The 15 new battery-electric buses are expected to arrive and begin rolling into service on Route 100 in 2022. The $16 million contract is funded through the Federal Gas Tax Fund, with funding allotted through the Metro Vancouver Gas Tax Fund.

To pursue the further electrification of Metro Vancouver’s bus fleet in the coming years, TransLink has applied for funding from senior levels of government for 57 more battery-electric buses and for the supporting charging station infrastructure.