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King County Metro launches 4 New Flyer battery-electric buses

The agency made a firm commitment to reach full zero-emission fleet status no later than 2040.

November 26, 2018
King County Metro launches 4 New Flyer battery-electric buses

The four leased zero-emission Xcelsior CHARGE™ buses and depot chargers will support KCM’s continued pursuit of its climate goals.

New Flyer

2 min to read


The four leased zero-emission Xcelsior CHARGE™ buses and depot chargers will support KCM’s continued pursuit of its climate goals. New Flyer

New Flyer of America Inc. congratulated Seattle’s King County Metro (KCM) on the official unveiling and launch of its electric bus test and evaluation program utilizing four Xcelsior CHARGE™ battery-electric, heavy-duty transit buses (two 40-foot and two 60-foot).

KCM made a firm commitment to further reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions in the greater Seattle area, and to reach full zero-emission fleet status as soon as 2034 and no later than 2040. The four leased zero-emission Xcelsior CHARGE™ buses and depot chargers will support KCM’s continued pursuit of its climate goals, and will further its transition to a fully zero-emission vehicle fleet energized by renewable energy.

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“King County Metro is accelerating the transition to a clean-energy future, not only in the greater Seattle area but across North America with a low and no-emission fleet,” said Rob Gannon, KCM’s GM. “We are proud to introduce battery-electric buses to the public and to continue partnering with New Flyer on clean, connected transit solutions.”

King County Executive Dow Constantine has set a goal to reduce transportation greenhouse gas emissions by preparing KCM to increase transit service through 2020 with no net increase in greenhouse gas emissions, a goal that should double transit use in Seattle by 2040. This goal builds on an extensive track record of KCM’s evolution to low and no-emission buses: in 2002, KCM was the first to adopt New Flyer’s 60-foot diesel-electric hybrid transit bus, and since then has introduced 1,332 hybrid-electric buses to its fleet. Nearly 90% of KCM's fleet has been updated to include either all-electric or hybrid-electric vehicles.

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