Nova Bus announces an order of LFSe+ buses by four transit authorities in Quebec

Nova Bus LFSe+ (CNW Group/Nova Bus)

QUEBEC — Nova Bus, a member of the Volvo Group and a North American transit bus manufacturer, announces the order of 24 LFSe+ electric buses by four transit authorities in Quebec. The tender was coordinated by the Association du transport urbain du Québec (ATUQ) and the Réseau de transport de Longueuil (RTL).

The first pilot bus unit will be delivered in 2022, followed by the others in 2023 and 2024. A total of 10 buses, including 5 options, will be for the Réseau de transport de Longueuil (RTL), 2 buses for the Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO), 2 buses for the Société de transport de Trois-Rivières and 10 buses for the Société de transport de Sherbrooke (STS). This new order of electric buses is the largest to date and is part of a $30 million federal and provincial government financial assistance package for the electrification of transportation.

“This announcement shows the governments’ willingness to significantly support the electrification of transportation in Quebec and Nova Bus is proud to play a leading role. The collective effort for this green shift is essential in the industry,” said Martin Larose, President of Nova Bus.

With an electric drive motor coupled with BAE Systems’ power electronics, these electric buses purportedly provide better fuel economy, longer driving range, reduced maintenance costs and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

“The RTL’s electric shift is well underway and the acquisition of 10 new buses next year (5 of which are options) will allow us to reduce our environmental footprint and contribute to Quebec’s economic development. The RTL’s electric minibuses—put into service last summer as part of a pilot project—are already performing well. In fact, we expect more than half of our bus fleet to be electric by 2030, with more than 200 buses,” said Catherine Fournier, Mayor of Longueuil.