Saskatoon Transit says switch to electric battery buses a matter of 'when, not if'

According to Saskatoon Transit manager Jim McDonald, it's only a matter of time before the City of Saskatoon switches to battery-powered buses.

The city's transit system is in the process of starting a one-year pilot project to lease an electric bus and test its performance.

McDonald said the technology has improved significantly in the past several years, and it's time to look at making the transition.

"It's when, not if, we do the switchover," he said. "(Electric buses) keep on improving and keep on getting better."

Saskatoon isn't alone when it comes to looking at switching its diesel buses for electric. Cities from St. Albert, Alta. to Toronto are buying more and more of the buses.

McDonald said the electric buses are much more reliable in cold weather. He said the emissions control systems on newer diesel buses can clog with particulates and cause breakdowns once the temperature dips below -30 C, a problem battery-powered buses don't run into.

A report from Transit also concluded that electric buses are cheaper in the long run than diesel, as they break down fewer timesand last longer. Thepotential savings could be up to $300,000 over the life cycle of the vehicle.

"The total cost of ownership break-even point (with electric) is around nine to 10 years, depending on what your purchase price is," he said.

"With a diesel bus, you're looking at doing a whole bunch of engine mid-life recycles and redoing the transmission which you don't necessarily have to do with an electric battery bus."

If the pilot project is successful, Saskatoon Transit will begin to buy electric buses starting in 2022and hope to access federal grants to do so.

Until that time, McDonald said transit will be busy planning for the future.

"It also gives us the opportunity to talk to our partners at Saskatoon Light and Power about some of the alternate ways to get power, like putting solar solar panels on our roof here at the Civic Operations Centre," he said.

Council approved studying the switch to electric vehicles in 2017. The pilot project is eligible for 50 per cent funding under the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Green Municipal Fund.

Two potential companies have been selected. The request for proposals closed in July.

The report will be presented to councillors at the city's Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities and Corporate Services on Monday morning.