STM takes delivery of first of 147 LFSe+ electric buses from Nova Bus
The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) took delivery of the first LFSe+ electric bus, manufactured by Nova Bus, to its fleet. This is the first bus from an order of 147. Ten more buses are expected in the coming months, while the entire order will be delivered by 2028. STM says it is going to test the components of this new model by running it out of service over the next four weeks. Customers may therefore see this bus operating on the streets of Montréal.
STM notes it is currently reassessing the pace of its transition toward electrifying its bus network in a challenging financial context. This is why, last February, the Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable once again allowed public transit agencies to acquire hybrid buses and committed to revising its electrification targets. STM says it considers that a mix of propulsion modes—both hybrid and electric—is a proven solution during the transition to fully electric operations, offering operational reliability and more stable operating costs.
Once the order is complete, 10% of STM’s bus fleet will be electric.
LFSe+ features
Among the new features of this bus model is an operator’s cab with an anti-assault door. This component is equipped with a glass door and a metal base.
Other new features include:
- Six batteries, providing an average range of 300 kilometers (186 miles).
- A quiet motor with a pedestrian warning sound.
- Better-lit doorways for easier boarding and exiting.
- Modified interior layout with 28 seats, including 21 fixed seats and seven fold-down seats.
- An audible alert when the front doors open for customers with visual impairments.
- Optimized heating and air conditioning with a more evenly distributed ventilation system installed at the center of the bus.
STM says the acquisition of these electric buses is made possible thanks to funding provided by the government of Quebec under the Public Transit Infrastructure Funding Program.