ST. CLOUD, MN, Nov. 15, 2018 /CNW/ - (TSX: NFI) New Flyer
of America Inc. ("New Flyer"), a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc.
("NFI"), the largest transit bus and motor coach manufacturer and
parts distributor in North
America, today announced that New Flyer's sixty-foot
articulated heavy-duty transit bus has become the first and only
sixty-foot battery-electric bus to complete the Federal Transit
Administration ("FTA") Model Bus Testing Program at Altoona, Pennsylvania ("Altoona Testing").
With successful completion of Altoona Testing, U.S. transit
agencies can now utilize FTA funding in support of their purchases
of sixty-foot (battery and fuel cell) electric Bus Rapid Transit
("eBRT") buses from New Flyer, further enabling smart mobility
solutions for cities across North
America.
"We are tremendously proud to lead transit bus innovation in
North America with the first
sixty-foot electric bus to complete Altoona Testing," said
Wayne Joseph, President, New Flyer
of America. "Other manufacturers have attempted the rigorous
Altoona tests with sixty-foot
buses without success, so we celebrate this important milestone in
deploying zero-emission bus propulsion technology, on a proven,
safe, and reliable bus platform."
Since 1988, New Flyer has delivered over 7,000 sixty-foot
articulated buses with a variety of propulsion systems. All New
Flyer zero-emission bus (ZEB) models, including trolley-electric,
battery-electric, and fuel cell-electric, are built on New Flyer's
proven Xcelsior® platform, which recently celebrated the
delivery of its 10,000th bus.
"Our sixty-foot electric bus models offer the highest capacity
of any transit bus in North America, with the ability to
transport 132 passengers at a time," said Chris Stoddart, Senior Vice President of
Engineering and Customer Service, New Flyer. "New Flyer's
sixty-foot battery-electric and fuel cell-electric model buses are
equipped with two driven axles (rear and center) for enhanced
traction and control in all weather conditions; an added safety
feature of our exclusive electric propulsion system. Combined with
regenerative braking from electric motors using Siemens power
management to recharge lithium-ion batteries sourced in America,
this eBRT assists with reduced traffic congestion, cost effective
transit, improved air quality, and greater smart mobility solutions
to communities across America."
NFI has over 50 years of experience in manufacturing
zero-emission buses (ZEBs), with more electric buses on the road in
America than any other manufacturer. It is the only provider of
full suite bus solutions in North
America, offering transit, motor coach, and low-floor
cutaway buses.
In 2018, New Flyer became the first bus manufacturer in the
world to sign on to the Shared Mobility Principles for Livable
Cities, joined CharIN to support industry charging standards for
all electric vehicles, became the first licensee outside the Volvo
Group to join OppCharge in North
America, signed CALSTART's Global Commercial Drive to Zero
to support fast-tracking adoption of clean trucks and buses, and
also signed the Transportation Electrification Accord focused on
driving an equitable and prosperous future for electrified
transportation.
For more information on Altoona Testing, visit
www.transit.dot.gov/research-innovation/bus-testing.
About NFI Group
With nearly 6,000 team members, operating from 31 facilities
across Canada and the United States, NFI is North America's largest bus manufacturer
providing a comprehensive suite of mass transportation solutions
under several brands: New Flyer® (heavy-duty transit
buses), ARBOC® (low-floor cutaway and medium-duty
buses), MCI® (motor coaches), and NFI Parts™ (parts,
support, and service). NFI buses incorporate the widest range of
drive systems available including: clean diesel, natural gas,
diesel-electric hybrid, and zero-emission electric (trolley,
battery, and fuel cell). For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, NFI posted revenues of US
$2.4 billion. NFI common shares are
traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol NFI. News and
information are available at www.nfigroup.com.
About New Flyer
New Flyer is North America's
heavy-duty transit bus leader and offers the most advanced product
line under the Xcelsior® and Xcelsior CHARGE™ brands.
New Flyer actively supports over 44,000 heavy-duty transit buses
(New Flyer, NABI, and Orion) currently in service, of which 7,300
are powered by electric motors and battery propulsion and 1,600 are
zero-emission. Further information is available at
www.newflyer.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements
relating to expected future events and financial and operating
results of NFI Group that involve risks and uncertainties.
Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press
release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable
assumptions, investors cannot be assured that actual results will
be consistent with these forward-looking statements, and the
differences may be material. Actual results may differ
materially from management expectations as projected in such
forward-looking statements for a variety of reasons, including
market and general economic conditions, there may be no material
demand for a sixty-foot battery-electric bus from customers, the
economic conditions of and funding availability for customers to
purchase buses and to purchase parts or services and the other
risks and uncertainties discussed in the materials filed with the
Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available on SEDAR
at www.sedar.com. Due to the potential impact of these
factors, NFI Group disclaims any intention or obligation to update
or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of
new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by
applicable law.
![New Flyer’s sixty-foot articulated heavy-duty transit bus has become the first and only sixty-foot battery-electric bus to complete the Federal Transit Administration (“FTA”) Model Bus Testing Program at Altoona, Pennsylvania (“Altoona Testing”). (CNW Group/New Flyer of America Inc.) New Flyer’s sixty-foot articulated heavy-duty transit bus has become the first and only sixty-foot battery-electric bus to complete the Federal Transit Administration (“FTA”) Model Bus Testing Program at Altoona, Pennsylvania (“Altoona Testing”). (CNW Group/New Flyer of America Inc.)](https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/785869/New_Flyer_of_America_Inc__New_Flyer_s_sixty_foot_electric_Bus_Ra.jpg)
SOURCE New Flyer of America Inc.