Download CUTRIC’s Canadian ZEB Database™ Report
CUTRIC has released the ZEB Database™: Canada’s Zero-Emissions Bus Landscape and Transition Readiness Report #5. This Report provides an overview of ZEB deployment in Canada from February 2024 to July 2024. Using data directly provided by transit agencies and from the public domain, The Report classifies ZEB technologies as follows:
Powertrain technologies
1. Battery electric bus (BEBs) powered by electricity stored in a rechargeable onboard battery package and is propelled by an electric motor.
2. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Bus (FCEB) powered by a hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) that converts hydrogen into electricity that is stored in an on-board battery.
3. Renewable compressed natural gas (R-CNG) bus powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) blended with renewable natural gas (RNG), the latter of which is made using refined or upgraded anaerobically generated biogas.
Modes of transit service delivery
1. Fixed route service is the most traditional type of public transit. Buses or trains operate along predetermined routes, stopping at designated locations (bus stops or stations) on a set schedule. Passengers can board and alight at these stops. The routes and schedules are published and readily available to the public.
2. Autonomous Smart shuttle powered by electricity stored in a rechargeable on-board battery pack; these mobility modes constitute an emerging class of shared mobility for first-kilometre/last-kilometre applications in local transit systems.
3. HandyDART / ParaTransit / Specialized Transit is a door-to-door shared transit service for people with permanent or temporary disabilities that prevents them from using fixed-route transit.
4. On-demand Transport (ODT) is transit service that allows passengers to reserve their trip online or through a software application at a suitable time within the service operating hours and to be collected from a predetermined location.
5. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a bus transit system that delivers fast and cost-effective services at metro-level capacities by utilizing dedicated lanes and busways.
Stages of Transition
The report also categorizes ZEB adoption into six stages of transition:
- Pronouncements – when a public statement of intent to commence or explore zero emissions transition is issued by an elected official or governing body.
- Feasibility studies – when there is commitment or discussions to engage an external entity for a predictive assessment of partial- or full-fleet ZEB applications on parameters such as energy consumption, costing, and performance feasibility.
- Capital funding – when a city, provincial or federal governing authority has committed or is under discussion with the agency to fund the project.
- Commissioning – when ZEBs are in deployed pre-service; undergoing checks, inspections, and testing for safety.
- Procurement – when a contractual obligation to purchase ZEBs or related infrastructure has been initiated or signed.
- In-service (operating) – When revenue service commences.
Charging infrastructure
The Report further classifies ZEB charging infrastructure as follows:
- In-depot charging: A charging method where battery-electric buses (BEBs) are charged at a central depot, typically overnight or during off-peak hours.
- Opportunity / On-route charging: A high-power charging solution that allows BEBs to recharge at strategic locations along their route, such as bus stops or terminals.
- Inductive charging: A wireless charging technology that transfers energy from an underground or surface-mounted charging pad to a bus equipped with a compatible receiver.
- Battery swapping: A system where depleted batteries are rapidly replaced with fully charged ones at designated swap stations, minimizing vehicle downtime
