Winnipeg Transit says it’s one step closer to achieving its goal of transitioning to zero-emission buses.
The city announced Wednesday that transit has received the first of 16 fuel-cell battery-electric buses, and that Winnipeggers can expect to see zero-emission buses on city streets as early as mid-March.
The buses come in two sizes, 40- and 60-feet long, and Winnipeg is expected to be the first Canadian city to employ the 60-foot zero-emission vehicles.
“What we wanted to do was buy all the technologies in one shot,” said program manager Erin Cooke. “(We wanted to) test them out, really understand the challenges of integrating.
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“We’re able to get these buses into service right away, really understand them, so we can rapidly deploy them going forward.”
A second order of the buses — 24 in total — is expected in early 2026.
Transit said all buses will be thoroughly tested for factors including battery health, energy consumption, the cost of operation, and which kind of zero-emission technology works best for Winnipeg’s particular climate.
