TransLink expands battery-electric bus fleet with $16M purchase

The first fully battery-electric bus line in Metro Vancouver will be up and running in 2022, according to TransLink, thanks to a $16 million investment from Canada's gas tax fund.

In a joint announcement, the federal government and TransLink said the money will be used to purchase 15 battery-electric buses from Canadian manufacturer Nova Bus. the vehicles will run on the No. 100 route through New Westminster, Burnaby and Vancouver.

Outgoing TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond said the acquisition of the buses will more than quadruple the company's current fleet of four battery-electric buses.

"Our plan is to continue to replace diesel buses being retried… with all zero-emission battery-electric buses," he said.

Each zero-emission bus is expected to save 100 tonnes of greenhouse gases and $40,000 in annual fuel costs compared to a conventional diesel bus.

Martin LaRose, general manager of Nova Bus, said the vehicles being sold to TransLink will have a battery range of around 350 to 450 kilometres.

The buses can be charged in approximately five minutes at charging stations while picking up passengers.

Nova Bus is based in St. Eustache, Que., and is a division of Swedish-owned Volvo Buses.

Almost a third of all greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation, said Desmond.