Bus Electrification

Why Electric Buses

Council approved the ordering of seven electric buses for delivery in early 2025. A further 13 will arrive by Q2 2026, bringing the number of electric buses to 20 by the end of this year. The purchase of electric buses is in alignment with both the Regina Transit Master Plan and the Energy and Sustainability Framework and will reduce Regina Transit’s greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent.

FAQ

What kind of electric buses has the City of Regina ordered?  

Regina Transit purchased 20, 40-foot LFSe+ Novabus BEB (Battery Electric Buses). LFSe+ means Low Floor Series Extended Range Electric Transit Bus. 

 

Has the technology been tested in Canadian cities? What were the results?  

• Similar technology – BAE Systems’ electric propulsion technology (LFSE+ Electric Propulsion System) – has been operating in Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) since 2006. Toronto currently has more than 1,000 hybrid-electric buses with this technology in their fleet.
• In 2021, Société de transport de Laval procured 10 BEBs from Winnipeg based manufacturer New Flyer Industries to be used in their all-electric bus line.
• In 2015, Société de transport de Montréal purchased the first BEB built in the St Eustache plant and placed three Novabus LFSEs into service in 2016. This is the precursor to the LFSE+ BEB that Regina Transit purchased.
• Société de transport de Laval purchased their BEBs in 2012 and have only purchased Hybrid Electric Buses since 2014. In 2023, they announced the purchase of up to 1,229 BEBs from Novabus as part of a province-wide agreement between 10 Québec transit agencies.
• Novabus has delivered BEBs to Coast Mountain, Guelph, GRT Quebec and Halifax. They are currently building BEB orders for the TTC, Association du transport urbain du Québec (ATUQ), Saskatoon, Regina, Durham Region Transit (DRT), Oakville, Brampton and others. Novabus currently has approximately 1,000 BEBs buses under production order.
• Novabus is utilizing the same core components in their BEBs as they do in their Hybrid-Electric Buses. This allows for a proven and dependable drive system to be utilized and maintains continuity between conventional and BEB fleets.

 

The City of Edmonton is experiencing problems with their electric fleet and the company that produced them. Could that happen in Regina?  

• The Edmonton Transit System purchased electric buses from Proterra, a company that builds out of South Carolina. Regina Transit’s electric buses are being purchased from an entirely different company, Novabus, which has a long history of success in Canadian cities. Novabus is a subsidiary of The Volvo Group, established in 1993 in St Eustache, Québec.
• Novabus was built around the former General Motors and later Motor Coach Industries (MCI) transit bus plant in St Eustache, QC. Novabus has been a fixture of North American transit bus manufacturing since 1993.

 

How has the City been preparing for these new buses?  

The City applied for funding through the federal government’s Zero Emission Transit Fund (ZETF). The total project cost was $52.2 million with the federal government covering 50 per cent of the infrastructure and bus costs. In addition to the EV bus purchases, the existing Transit Operations facility where the buses are stored and maintained was upgraded with charging and service capabilities for roughly 60 EV buses. 

 

What is the range of the electric buses? 

The buses can travel approximately 340 km before needing to recharge. Charging is done overnight in the Transit maintenance facility. In extreme cold, the range can be reduced to 220 km, but 60 per cent of Regina Transit’s daily routes are under 200 km, so the City uses these buses year-round.

 

I have heard that electric buses have broken down on the road and can’t run in the winter. Is this true?

No, electric buses are running every day in our system. Occasionally buses do have to be switched out for another bus, whether diesel or electric buses. However, diesel buses are switched out for another bus more frequently than the electric buses.

 

Why would an electric bus be switched out for another bus during a route?

An electric bus may be switched out for another bus if it was not charged correctly overnight and went out on the road in the morning not fully charged. Additionally, with this winter being the first winter with BEBs, the City continues to learn how the buses operate in cold weather. If a bus’ diesel heater is not working correctly, that would require a change of buses during a route. However, switching out a bus for these reasons is infrequent and the majority of the time that a bus needs to be switched out during a route, it is for diesel buses.

 

When will the infrastructure and buses be in place?    

The first seven buses have arrived and are on the road. The remaining charging infrastructure will be installed and operational for the second order of buses in 2026. The following is a breakdown of EV bus purchases: 

• 2024 – Ordered seven electric buses, received in May 2025
• 2024 – Ordered 13 electric buses, to be received in Q2 2026

 

Are these buses replacing buses we already have?

These buses will replace buses that have come to the end of their useful life. Typically, buses are replaced after 17 years of service. 

 

Are EV buses expected to have the same lifespan (17 years) as diesel engine buses?  

Yes, the City anticipates electric buses to have a similar lifespan to diesel buses, around 17 years.

  

 What routes will these buses be on? 

The buses are used on a variety of routes throughout the city. 

 

Will bus fares go up to pay for the new buses? How are they being paid for?  

• No, bus fares won’t need to increase to pay for the electric buses. 
• The City of Regina has been approved to receive $26 million in funding through the federal government’s Permanent Public Transit Program – Zero Emissions Transit Fund. This funding will cover 50 per cent of the purchase cost of 20 electric buses along with the first phase of transit fleet facility upgrades to accommodate electric vehicle charging.

 

Why did City Council decide to order diesel hybrid buses starting in 2027?

Regina City Council directed administration to purchase diesel hybrid buses starting in 2027. This was done as there were no additional federal funding programs to buy BEBs beyond 2026. Diesel hybrid buses provide the best of both diesel and electric vehicles by reducing emissions up to 40 per cent when compared to diesel buses.