I enjoyed a smooth, fresh-air ride on this quiet bus pictured below years ago. I know New Flyer of America produces kinder buses, cleaner buses, softer riding buses — more and more of them. The company also sets high standards.
New Flyer electric bus in St. Petersburg, FL, circa 2016. Photo by Cynthia Shahan/CleanTechnica, with special thanks to the Sierra Club.
Since that time, more than 4 years ago, the company has been busy delivering new electric buses to cities across the continent. New York City added 15 of New Flyer’s 60-Foot (18.3 meters) Xcelsior CHARGE electric buses last March, for example.
Image courtesy New Flyer.
Electric vehicles have been around for more than 100 years, but the automobile industry is just now shifting to them thanks to battery costs dropping so low. It is still not nearly enough, but it is a beginning. The information arising from and since the pandemic has certainly proven that we need all-electric vehicles for better public health and well being. Air pollution is taking three years from the average human life worldwide, with young children and the elderly more vulnerable. Electric transit is cheaper if you consider even a portion of these health and premature death costs.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (US DOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced some good news at the beginning of June to support for more efficient bus fleets.
New Flyer seems happy to help usher in this cleaner transit era, and regions across the US are acknowledging it. New Flyer has announced that it was named as a partner of choice by 12 major transit agencies across America. The news comes due to how many successful projects funded by the Federal Transit Administration’s (“FTA”) Low or No Emission (“Low-No”) Grant Program that New Flyer has been a part of.
“The 2020 Low-No program selections, announced earlier this month, resulted in New Flyer’s best ever showing as an electric bus manufacturing partner of choice. Started in 2015, the Low-No grant program is administered through a competitive application process, and exists to support the nation’s transition to the lowest polluting and most energy efficient transit vehicles using advanced propulsion technology, which improves air quality and migrates riders to clean and reliable mobility. Funding can be used to purchase or lease zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, including acquisition, construction, and leasing of required supporting facilities.
“Following the FTA Notice of Funding Opportunity, New Flyer supported successful grant applications for $30 million in grants awarded to 12 agencies. Grant funds will support agencies in procuring zero-emission buses and charging infrastructure. For information on the FTA 2020 Low-No selections, visit transit.dot.gov/funding/. Any orders resulting from these grant awards will be added to New Flyer’s backlog as contracts are executed with each agency.”
New Flyer’s core zero-emissions solution is the 100% battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE, which can come at 35 feet, 40 feet, or 60 feet (11, 12, 18.3 meters) in length.”New Flyer also supports zero-emission deployments through New Flyer Infrastructure SolutionsTM, providing safe and reliable services for sustainable mobility projects. Its full-suite infrastructure service includes support, planning, project management, engineering, construction, energy optimization, and commissioning to help ensure a successful transition to zero-emission mobility.”
New Flyer Infrastructure Solutions has installed more than 100 smart chargers since it was launched in January 2019.
New Flyer electric buses, King County Metro, Washington.
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