Winnipeg Transit adds four electric buses to fleet

Winnipeg Transit is delivering on its promise to add four electric buses to its fleet.

On Thursday, officials announced the zero-emission buses would begin taking over a two-hour, 40-kilometre route from East Kildonan to the Airport.

In May, Winnipeg Transit introduced the city to the brand new New Flyer electric buses and promised that four would be incorporated in the fleet.

The buses will be cleaner, quieter and require less maintenance than their counterparts.

Newly minted mayor Brian Bowman was on hand for the announcement and said he hoped to see the buses running along Winnipeg's Rapid Transit corridor in the future.

The addition was made possible by about $3.4 million in funding from Sustainable Development Technology Canada, a clean technology funding agency based in Ottawa.

The battery-electric buses were developed with help from Red River College and need only a 10 minute charge to do a two hour route. They hit Winnipeg streets Thursday.