New Flyer of America, a subsidiary of NFI Group, has announced a firm order for 108 zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell-electric Xcelsior CHARGE FC™ 40-foot transit buses from San Mateo County Transit (SamTrans). This order marks the largest single fuel cell bus order in New Flyer’s history. The contract for these buses was added to New Flyer’s backlog in the second quarter of 2024, with orders placed throughout the second and third quarters.
SamTrans provides public transportation services across San Mateo County, including service to San Francisco and Palo Alto, California. The agency delivers nearly nine million bus rides annually across an extensive network of 74 bus routes.
This investment in fuel cell-electric buses is part of SamTrans’ strategy to achieve net-zero emissions and is supported by funding from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), California’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP), and local resources. The new hydrogen buses will replace diesel buses in SamTrans’ fleet, aligning with the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB’s) Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) regulation, which mandates a transition to a 100% zero-emission fleet by 2040. This purchase will also assist SamTrans in meeting U.S. greenhouse gas emissions targets of 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030.
Chris Stoddart, President of North American Bus and Coach at NFI, stated, “Our partnership with SamTrans spans nearly 35 years. During that time, New Flyer has delivered more than 175 buses, including 27 zero-emission vehicles. The technology advancements in this next-generation vehicle will enhance performance while reducing environmental impacts and improving air quality.”
Tasha Bartholomew, Communications Manager at SamTrans, emphasized the agency’s commitment to reducing transportation’s impact on air quality and climate change. “Our zero-emission fleet supports our mission to provide safe, equitable, and sustainable transportation for our riders,” she said.
NFI Group is a leader in zero-emission mobility, with electric vehicles operating or on order in over 150 cities across six countries. The company offers a wide range of zero-emission battery and fuel cell-electric buses and coaches, having completed over 195 million electric vehicle service miles.
NFI supports North American cities with scalable, clean, and sustainable mobility solutions, including buses, coaches, infrastructure, parts, service, technology, workforce development, and vehicle financing. The company operates the Vehicle Innovation Center (VIC), an innovation lab dedicated to advancing bus and coach technology while providing workforce development. Since its opening in late 2017, the VIC has hosted over 400 interactive events, welcoming approximately 9,000 industry professionals for electric vehicle and infrastructure training.
