TTC becomes largest battery electric bus fleet in North America

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) became the operator of the largest public battery electric bus fleet in North America with the introduction of a third e-bus model to Toronto streets, bringing its total fleet size to 60. 

The TTC originally approved the purchase of 30 fully electric buses in November of 2017, and approved a further 30 purchases in 2018. The complete electrification of TTC buses, which is slated to occur by 2040, is a component of Toronto’s TransformTO climate action strategy to achieve 80 per cent reduction in local greenhouse gases by 2050.

According to the TTC, three separate bus models have been commissioned to allow for head-to-head performance comparison which will inform future bus purchases. Thirty-five of the city’s 60 e-buses are in service as of now; the remaining 25 are undergoing final testing and are expected to be on Toronto streets by the end of September.

The e-bus purchases were financed with a $140-million investment by the federal government and the City of Toronto, which will also be used to cover the cost of infrastructure to further expand the city’s zero-emission fleet.

Toronto mayor John Tory said : “I’m proud to help launch these new electric buses and to celebrate the fact that Toronto is now officially operating the largest fleet of electric buses in North America. “Our e-bus fleet is one of the many projects that our city government has jointly funded with the federal government through the federal Public Transit Infrastructure Fund. This is the right and responsible thing to do for our transit system, our city, and our environment.”

A growing number of Canadian municipalities are making similar investments in zero-emission public transit, including Oakville, Halifax, Edmonton and Vancouver.

Photo : Toronto Transit Commission