As the world moves towards a more sustainable future, public transit systems have a critical role to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In Canada, a new organization called CUTZEB (Canadian Urban Transit Zero Emissions Bus joint procurement initiative) has been formed to support public transit agencies in procuring zero-emission buses and the corresponding infrastructure.
CUTZEB is a spin-off founded by the non-profit organization Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC), and it aims to support the procurement of both battery electric (BEV) and fuel cell electric (FCEV) transit technologies, as well as their respective charging and hydrogen fueling systems.
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“We knew that transit agencies wanting to electrify their fleets didn’t just want buses or chargers, but turn-key solutions — the buses, the chargers, the installation, the maintenance and everything in between. They wanted all of that in a package that could be delivered by a consortium, which is where the idea for CUTZEB emerged,” said Josipa Petrunic, President and CEO of CUTRIC and CUTZEB.
The federal Canadian government has also made a commitment to promoting electric buses, including school buses and their charging infrastructure. Between 2021 and 2026, the government plans to invest a total of 2.75 billion dollars (around 1.8 billion euros) towards this goal. CUTZEB will not only expedite the commercial-scale deployment of zero-emission bus (ZEB) technologies but will also complete multiple rounds of joint procurements to support the Government of Canada’s zero-emission bus target, bringing together small to mid-sized transit agencies.
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Chris Hill, Chair of CUTZEB’s Board of Directors and Program Manager for Fleet Planning with the City of Guelph, emphasized that the new organization will work to help transit agencies verify the performance claims of zero-emission bus manufacturers. “A well-planned procurement that includes electrical supply and charging equipment, as well as buses, is critical to the successful deployment of this new technology,” he said.
Canada is well positioned to completely transition its buses off fossil fuels. The country has numerous raw materials for electric vehicle batteries, high potential for the expansion of renewable energy production, and strong industrial stakeholders in zero-emission technologies. With initiatives like CUTZEB, Canada is taking a major step towards a more sustainable future for public transit systems.
