King County Metro To Purchase Up To 120 Xcelsior CHARGE Buses

New Flyer just scored one of its largest electric bus orders from the King County Metro – public transit authority of King County, Washington – which intends to purchase up to 120 sixty-foot articulated Xcelsior CHARGE.

The initial order is for 40 units, while an additional 80 electric buses to be ordered next year.

“Metro’s agreement to purchase up to 120 new battery-electric buses, starting with the initial order of zero-emission articulated buses, was announced today by King County Executive Dow Constantine alongside Metro General Manager Rob Gannon, during a celebratory event and bus demonstration at Metro’s South Training Facility in Seattle, Washington. The announcement follows Metro’s 2018 electric bus evaluation program, which used New Flyer’s Xcelsior CHARGE™ buses, and is a major milestone in the county’s efforts to improve air quality, reduce carbon and create a zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040 or earlier.”

The ordered Xcelsior CHARGE will be equipped with a 466 kWh battery pack, which we assume should last for some 186 miles (300 km) or more.

By 2040, King County Metro would like to switch its entire bus fleet to zero-emission.

King County Executive Dow Constantine said:

“Today, we’re celebrating major progress toward our goal of transforming Metro to a zero-emission bus fleet, which is better not only for the environment but also for our customers. These new buses will be able to serve routes all over King County, and especially in the southern part of the county, an area disproportionately affected by pollution. Working with New Flyer, we’ve procured 40 new buses that can handle anything we throw at them – quietly, efficiently, and fueled by clean power.”

Rob Gannon, Metro General Manager said:

“This first fleet order of battery-electric buses helps combat the climate crisis and enhances our ability to serve our customers. Hundreds of thousands of King County residents choose safe and efficient transit each weekday – keeping their cars off the road and emissions out of the air. This new battery-electric bus partnership with New Flyer allows us to do even more to reduce our county’s carbon footprint. New Flyer has consistently delivered what we asked for and in the timeline we’ve needed.”

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