The Société de transport de Laval (STL) has begun rolling out its electric buses, making Laval residents the first to benefit from this new generation of electric buses. Within the next few weeks, ten 100% electric buses with an autonomy of 250 km will gradually be rolled out on the network to offer Laval residents and users more environmentally friendly public transit. In order to ensure that as many customers as possible can ride the buses, they will be assigned random routes on the STL network.

“The future of our transportation network depends on green investments that will build sustainable, eco-efficient communities,” says Annie Koutrakis, Liberal MP for Vimy. “That’s why I’m so excited to hear that ten 100% electric buses will hit the streets of Laval as of this summer. It’s a big first step toward electrifying Quebec’s entire transit system to help reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and ensure a healthy environment for current and future generations.”

“This achievement is a key milestone for public transit electrification in Quebec, says Christopher Skeete, Member for Sainte-Rose. Soon, all public transit authorities will adopt this way forward, which not only addresses environmental concerns, but also contributes to economic development by improving mobility.”

Undeniable advantages
“In addition to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on the Laval territory, electric buses save money in both fuel and maintenance costs, and improve the experience of customers on board. In the end, our buses will not only be better for the environment, but also more cost-effective and less noisy,” says Stéphane Boyer, Deputy Mayor of Laval. Passengers will also notice less vibrations during acceleration or deceleration, making their rides more comfortable.

Each electric bus avoids 70 to 80 tons of GHG emissions each year. They contribute even further to countering climate change by reducing solo driving. For the STL, the use of these new vehicles also represents significant financial benefits. For example, the reduction in energy or “fuel” costs per kilometre is estimated to be between 40% and 50%. As for maintenance, the absence of an oil motor, transmission and exhaust system, among other components, reduces costs by 15% to 20% compared to a regular bus. 

Leader in electrification since 2012
The 10 buses were acquired as part of the largest contract awarded in Quebec for the production of electric buses in collaboration with the Association du transport urbain du Québec (ATUQ) and the Société de transport de Montréal (STM). Éric Morasse, President of the Board of Directors of the STL, explains: “We plan to exclusively acquire electric buses starting in 2025. We have in fact begun a major project to expand our facilities to accommodate these types of vehicles and integrate the technology required to operate them.”

For more information on the STL’s electrification process and program: stlaval.ca/electric-buses

The acquisition of these buses was made possible thanks to $10.5 million in financial support granted by the Société de financement des infrastructures locales du Québec’s (SOFIL) assistance program for public transit capital expenditure and the ministère des Transports du Québec to which the federal government contributes.