The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) has awarded New Flyer of America Inc. (NFI) an order for eight Xcelsior® battery electric buses (BEBs), plus one Xcelsior® battery electric bus with an extended range option, and related charging infrastructure. The buses will serve as part of COTA's electric fleet, which currently features six battery electric buses from NFI.

  • Eight battery electric buses:The order is for New Flyer's Xcelsior BEB, which offers an industry-leading, clean and quiet ride, with corridors served by other battery electric buses.
  • Battery electric bus with extended range option: One Xcelsior BEB with an extended range option will be delivered as part of the order, and operated on COTA routes with longer distances between stops.
  • Second-generation Xcelsior battery electric bus: This order is for New Flyer's second-generation Xcelsior battery electric bus, which features several improvements over the first-generation bus, including a 25% increase in range and a 20% improvement in fuel economy.

The order is valued at more than $8.4 million, and includes charging infrastructure from ABB.

"As North America's leader in electromobility, we are proud to partner with COTA on the expansion of their all-electric fleet," said Chris Stoddart, President, NFI Group. "This new second-generation battery electric bus is a true testament to our commitment to innovation and to providing our customers with the industry's best products and services."

The buses are expected to enter service in 2019.