NFI Group Inc. (NFI) announced that the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) has exercised options for eight battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG 40-foot heavy-duty transit buses from its subsidiary New Flyer of America Inc. (New Flyer).

The order comes in the final year of a two-year contract originally announced in 2020, and includes four ABB depot chargers from NFI Infrastructure Solutions to support the deployment.

Supported by Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds, the order expands COTA’s zero-emission fleet to 10 New Flyer electric buses and delivers on the agency’s five-year Strategic Plan to improve customer experience and COTA’s sustainability goal to be diesel-free by 2025.

COTA provides public transit in the greater Columbus and central Ohio region, delivering more than 19 million passenger trips in 2019. In 2020, COTA received its second Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award from the American Public Transportation Association.

“Since 2001, NFI has delivered over 165 transit buses to COTA. We are now are enabling its transition to zero-emission with high performance buses and infrastructure,” said Chris Stoddart, president, North American Bus and Coach. “Our Xcelsior CHARGE NG is our most advanced EV featuring a lightweight traction system, offering extended range, and incorporating up to 525kWh of power. Our mobility solutions are truly leading the “ZEvolution” – and COTA is at the forefront of North America’s transition.”