New Flyer of America has received a new contract from California’s Foothill Transit for 20 zero-emission, hydrogen fuel cell- electric Xcelsior CHARGE H2 forty-foot heavy-duty transit buses. This order is supported by Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds.

Foothill Transit is based in West Covina, California, operating one of the largest fleets of electric buses in America and providing more than 14 million trips annually in the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys. Foothill Transit is a leader in deploying zero-emission bus (ZEB) technology in the United States. It was the first in the country to put battery-electric buses on the road, and was the first bus-only public transit system in North America to reach the American Public Transportation Association’s Platinum Level for its significant sustainability achievements.

We were excited to be the first grid-powered battery electric bus pioneer, and have continued our zero emissions evolution with the first battery electric Alexander Dennis double deck bus launch earlier this year. Our path to a fully zero emission fleet continues with the addition of NFI hydrogen fuel cell technology. We envision a future where a variety of strategies work together to allow us to achieve our zero-emission goals.

—Doran Barnes, CEO, Foothill Transit

The Xcelsior CHARGE H2 is a battery-electric vehicle using compressed hydrogen as an energy source and range extender, requiring only 6-20 minutes to refuel. Fuel cell-electric technology is fully zero-emission and an innovative way to obtain extended-range operation similar to existing transit vehicles.

Built on New Flyer’s proven Xcelsior platform, the Xcelsior CHARGE H2 can save 85 to 135 tons of greenhouse gas per year from tailpipe emissions compared to a diesel bus.