The City of Barrie welcomed its first electric bus today.
Mayor Alex Nuttall and Barrie Transit introduced and showcased one of two new e-buses this afternoon at the Tiffin Street Boat Launch parking lot.
Nuttall says it's a step forward in sustainability and innovation for the city.
"Thanks to the Zero Emission Transit Fund, we will have two new e-buses operating in Barrie," the mayor said. "These buses will not only reduce our carbon footprint, but they will also enhance the quality of life for our residents by providing a quieter and cleaner way to get people around."
The battery-electric, zero-emission bus "is one of the most advanced models on the market," according to the city in a release.
A Canadian company, New Flyer, is the manufacturer, and the buses feature the following, per the city's release:
- A 520kWh battery, that is a world-class energy storage system, and engineered for safe, robust, and reliable use in transit.
- Battery charges for the e-bus were designed and installed by PowerON, an Ontario Power Generation company.
- The bus range is up to approximately 408 km.
- Accessibility features include an automatic securement station, which allows the user to secure their wheelchair or scooter easily with the touch of a button.
"We're very proud of the fact that this is coming here from Canada," said Nuttall.
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Nuttall noted that the buses are part of a one-year pilot project, and each bus costs around $1.5 million, as opposed to the roughly $1 million for a non-electric bus.
Funding ($1.65 million) for the e-bus project was announced in November 2022 through the Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada’s Zero Emission Transit Fund. The city also added $1.7 million to purchase the two electric buses and the charging infrastructure to support them.
"We want to look at opportunities for how electric buses perform here," explained Nuttall.
"It's extreme in the winter, it's extreme in the summer. We go from very cold to very hot and tons of precipitation in the wintertime. So, we want to know how it's actually working in each of those seasons and ensure that it's going to meet the needs ... we also happen to have a city that's surrounded by hills, so how these units will be able to perform servicing these routes will give us a lot of data.
"You do pay more upfront for the new technology," added Nuttall. "But, you're also reducing your costs when it comes to the fuel that it runs on, with electricity being a cheaper source than fossil fuels."
Barrie's vehicle fleet also includes seven fully electric pickup trucks, with the city saying four more are on the way later this year, and two electric ice resurfacers.
"Piloting e-buses is the next step toward supporting council’s initiative to reduce the city’s carbon emissions to net-zero by the year 2050," the city stated in the release. "This also supports the city’s work to electrify its fleet."
Those in attendance stepped inside the new e-bus and took a quick ride along Lakeshore Drive to Minet's Point Road, down Burton Avenue to Essa Road, and finished back at the Tiffin boat launch parking lot.
People can expect to see the new e-buses servicing city transit routes this summer.
To learn more about Barrie Transit, click here.
