Winnipeg’s first zero-emission bus paving the way for new electric fleet

The first zero-emission bus is set to hit Winnipeg streets soon.

A new zero-emission bus has rolled into town - the first of 16 expected to join the Winnipeg Transit fleet later this year.

According to the city, the 40-foot fuel-cell battery electric buses are expected this spring as part of a Winnipeg Transit program to transition to zero-emission buses (ZEBs).

Winnipeggers can expect to see the first ZEBs on the roads by mid-March as part of out-of-service testing, with limited service expected in April after the spring schedule change.

Program manager Erin Cooke said they’re excited to get the new ZEBs on the road and availing the gas-powered ones.

“We just received these buses. We’re getting them outfitted with fare boxes and radios and getting them ready to go.”

The city’s initial zero-emission fleet will have four 40-foot and four 60-foot fuel-cell battery-electric buses and four 40-foot and four 60-foot battery-electric buses.

Fuel-cell battery-electric buses recharge with hydrogen and can drive for up to 24 hours. Meanwhile, battery-electric buses recharge by connecting to a charger and can drive for 10 to 15 hours.

A hydrogen station will be installed at the Winnipeg Transit facility on Osborne Street, while chargers are being added to the Brandon Avenue garage.

“The technology is very safe and has been very well established,” Cooke said.

“It’s been in vehicles for over 20 years. You had hydrogen in buses in Vancouver back in the ‘90s. The codes and standards for hydrogen are very well established, and it’s very much built off natural gas that’s been in transit for decades.”

Cooke said passengers won’t notice much difference, other than the buses will be noticeably quieter.

Winnipeg will be the first Canadian city with 60-foot ZEBs in service, the city said.

All 16 buses will complete out-of-service testing, which will look at a number of factors like battery health, energy consumption, and operating costs.

The city will also look at which zero-emission technology is most effective in Winnipeg’s climate.

Winnipeg Transit’s second order will be for 24 ZEBs and is expected in early 2026.

The program is rolling ahead thanks to $280.3 million in funding through a federal program that invests in housing and infrastructure projects that reduce air and water pollution, build inclusive communities, and increase resilience to climate change.