A pilot project in Montreal, Quebec, between exo and Letenda, in collaboration with Robert Paquette Autobus, has launched using Letenda's Electrip bus.
Testing is currently underway for Letenda’s Electrip, a zero-emission midibus specifically designed for public transit, in exo’s Laurentides sector. The pilot project primarily aims to assess the energy performance and reliability of the Electrip bus in a wide range of weather conditions.
The Electrip will be subjected to road, maintenance and accessibility tests in operation and the data collected will allow exo to evaluate the new electric bus technology, in addition to contributing to the maturity of the market for electric midibuses offered in Canada.
“We’re happy to collaborate with exo on this deployment pilot project,” said Nicolas Letendre, president and CEO of Letenda. "Customer validation is a key step in completing our development process, paving the way to market entry. We strongly believe our aluminum electric city bus will play an important role in guiding Quebec transportation agencies through the energy transition.
To begin, the test runs will be carried out without passengers to perform several stages of technical validations. Once the first phase is completed, the Electrip is expected to run on an exo line with passengers on board. Electrical equipment for recharging the bus has already been installed at its garage in Saint-Eustache, Paris.
“Over time, exo intends to purchase a fleet of 100 percent electric buses in various formats that we’ll roll out progressively in the areas we serve," said Marc Rousseau, executive director of operations at exo. "Midibus-type vehicles like the Electrip are part of our plan to serve less-populated areas in our vast territory. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to test this vehicle in real operating conditions and to support the industry in developing electric vehicles that meet the needs of Quebec transportation agencies.
An electric bus format that’s relevant for exo
By participating in the call for tender put out by the Association du transport urbain du Québec, exo will receive between 87 and 135 12-meter (40-foot) electric buses. In the second phase, exo hopes to purchase smaller buses that are better adapted to serving less-populated areas in the suburbs.
