REGINA — All 20 electric buses purchased by the City of Regina in 2024 have now hit the road.
On Thursday, Regina announced it has received the final 13 electric buses from Nova Bus.
"The City of Regina has had electric buses in the fleet for a full year. That means one full winter where these buses reliably moved residents to work, school, activities and home again,” said Mayor Chad Bachynski.
Last April, the city rolled out its first seven electric buses, which have performed on par with its diesel buses, according to the city.
Notably, each electric bus reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent compared to a diesel bus and costs roughly 50 per cent less to operate per kilometre.
“Not only are our battery-electric buses a more environmentally sustainable choice for the city, but financially, one kilometre on a battery-electric bus costs the city $0.76 while a diesel bus costs $1.51,” said Nathan Luhning, Regina’s director of transit.
Each bus can last approximately 340 kilometres before needing a recharge.
One concern raised for electric buses is their reduced service on a fully-charged battery in the city.
The city said the range of electric buses in colder temperatures could be reduced to 220 kilometres.
Funding for the $52 million purchase of the 20 buses was shared between the city and the federal government.
Looking ahead, the city has opted to pursue hybrid buses in the future.
The cost of purchasing 49 new hybrid buses between 2027 and 2030 would save the city roughly $40 million.
Currently, the city has 123 buses in its fleet, and 16 per cent of those are electric.
