Electric Buses coming to the Coast!
BC Transit is electrifying its fleet—125 heavy-duty electric buses (BEBs) have already been ordered, with the first 10 entering into service in Victoria earlier this summer. These new buses will help BC reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce noise, and provide a better experience for riders. The Sunshine Coast will be the lucky recipient of two BEBs in 2026, so I was eager to see one in action while we were at UBCM in Victoria in late September.
Electric Bus Preview
SCRD board members joined other elected leaders for a short ride in one of Victoria’s new battery electric buses (BEBs) in September. BC Transit staff gave us a great presentation full of nerdy details, and got us excited about these buses coming to our communities.
These Nova buses, built in Montreal, are already proving popular in Victoria—there’s even a (positive!) Reddit thread dedicated to them. With a range of around 400 km, virtually no operational greenhouse gas emissions, overnight charging, and up to 80% lower operating costs than diesel, the shift to electric looks promising.
Riders can expect quieter trips (3 dB quieter, in fact), device chargers on board, and that “new bus smell” sticking around longer thanks to no diesel fumes. They feel roomier, too—no big engine taking space at the back, which means more space for riders, and less of those frustrating ‘pass-ups’.
You can read more in the Coast Reporter here.
Looks, like a bus, moves like a bus… but doesn’t sound like a bus! 3db makes a big difference—even though I was sitting at the very back, I could hear the presentation from BC Transit staff clearly.
Chargers are located throughout the buses and will surely be a hit with riders.
The mighty battery is the size of a twin mattress.