Victoria's first electric transit bus to hit the road this fall

Victoria's first electric transit bus is scheduled to enter service this fall as BC Transit embarks on its goal of fielding an all-electric fleet provincewide by 2040.
The transit operator says it finalized a $20-million deal on May 16 to deliver 10 heavy-duty electric buses from U.S.-based zero-emission vehicle manufacturer Proterra.
The contract will allow BC Transit to purchase additional buses and chargers from the company, with up to 500 buses slated for replacement across B.C. over the next 10 years.
Proterra's electric bus manufacturing facility in Greenville, South Carolina. (Supplied/Proterra )
"This is an important first step toward BC Transit’s goal of achieving a zero-emission transit system by 2040," said B.C. Transportation Minister Rob Fleming in a statement Tuesday.
"Clean, green, efficient and affordable public transit is a key component of our government’s strategy to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions."
BC Transit says Proterra has a proven track record with more than 800 vehicles currently on the road, including school buses, delivery trucks and coach buses.
After Victoria's first electric bus is delivered this fall, BC Transit says the remaining buses will begin to be delivered in the summer of 2023.
Proterra buses feature zero tailpipe emissions, saving approximately 230,000 pounds of greenhouse gases annually when replacing a diesel bus, according to BC Transit.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW | 2 officers undergo surgery, third in hospital after deadly Saanich bank shooting
Police in Saanich, B.C., kept an area near a bank evacuated overnight as they continue to investigate a possible explosive device linked to a deadly gunfight with two suspected bank robbers.

Canada to lead upgraded NATO combat force in Latvia
Canada has signed an agreement to upgrade the NATO battlegroup it leads in Latvia to a brigade, though the government says it's too early to say whether that will entail deploying additional Canadian troops.
Mother forced to spend night sleeping on Toronto Pearson floor because of Air Canada delays
A mother of three children is speaking out after spending a night on the floor of Toronto Pearson Airport with her young kids in a nightmare weekend of travel.
Ontario researchers say they've found what causes long-COVID symptoms
Through the use of MRI technology and spearheaded by researchers at Western University, the cause of long COVID symptoms have been identified for the first time.
DEVELOPING | Canadian governments OK settlement with Purdue Pharma over opioid addictions
A proposed $150-million settlement with Purdue Pharma Canada covering all provinces and territories has been reached for the recovery of health-care costs related to the sale and marketing of opioid-based pain medication.
Virginia man dies by suicide after toddler left in hot car dies
A toddler accidentally left in a vehicle for hours died Tuesday and police said his father was found dead in an apparent suicide at their Virginia home, police said.
New real estate guidelines pressure owners with a home equity line of credit: survey
A new survey exposes balance sheet vulnerabilities for some Canadian homeowners amidst rising interest rates.
More than half of flights at some Canadian airports getting cancelled, delayed: data
Recent data shows more than half of all flights in and out of some of Canada's major airports are being cancelled or delayed, as frustrations for travellers mount due in part to increased summer travel and not enough airport staff.
BioNTech, Pfizer to start testing universal vaccine for coronaviruses
Germany's BioNTech, Pfizer's partner in COVID-19 vaccines, said the two companies would start tests on humans of next-generation shots that protect against a wide variety of coronaviruses in the second half of the year.