CUTRIC releases fifth edition of Canadian ZEB Database

The Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) has released the fifth edition of its Canadian Zero-Emission Bus (ZEB) Database. This edition highlights the state of ZEB technology adoption up to July 2024 and provides insights into transit agencies' issues and challenges in their decarbonization plans. 

Key findings include: 

• Canada is on track to meet its goal of 5,000 ZEBs by 2026, potentially reaching 7,000 ZEBs by the end of that year. To meet the goal, the database says transit agencies need to expedite pre-procurement and procurement processes. 
• At the time of publication, there are 5,459 ZEBs at various stages of deployment throughout Canada. The figure consists of 5,370 battery electric buses (BEBs) and 89 fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs). 
• Ontario transit agencies lead in the number of BEBs across all stages of deployment (2,640), followed by transit agencies in Quebec (1,612), Alberta (475) and British Columbia (456). 

"While the momentum towards achieving our zero emissions bus goals is truly commendable, the journey is far from over. We stand at a pivotal moment where the successes and hard lessons learned in overcoming electric bus challenges in regions like Ontario and Quebec highlight will drive the rest of the country,” said Josipa Petrunic, Ph.D., president and CEO, CUTRIC. “We must confront the persistent challenges of high costs for electrification infrastructure and the nascency of hydrogen supply chains head-on to get to zero-emissions and drive jobs in the low carbon economy in Canada. Our collective efforts, supported by initiatives like the federal Zero Emission Transit Fund, will be crucial in overcoming these hurdles and ensuring a sustainable future for Canada's public transit system." 

CUTRIC notes zero-emissions transit vehicles are a key factor in Canada’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and fight climate change. The transportation sector is responsible for 28 percent of Canada's GHG emissions, with public transit accounting for one percent of the transportation emissions. 

As the National Planning Service for the government of Canada's Zero Emission Transit Fund, CUTRIC's database provides federal, provincial and municipal governments, transit agencies and manufacturers with valuable insights into the progress and obstacles encountered in electrifying transit operations. 

The full report can be downloaded from CUTRIC’s website.