Electric buses could save the STM thousands a day, even in winter: Concordia study

The STM's new fleet of electric buses should be set to fully hit the streets in June, 2020 after undergoing winter conditions testing. SOURCE STM

Montreal’s transit agency (STM) could save up to $3,500 a day by using electric buses, even during the city’s cold winters, according to new research from Concordia University.

The study found that while Montreal’s battery-electric buses consume more energy in winter, they remain far more economical than diesel models, with operating costs 40 to 60 per cent lower.

“Basically, we know that the diesel consumption — the price of the diesel — is usually higher, compared to the electric consumption,” said Xuelin Tian, the study’s lead author. “And when we are talking about this, especially in Quebec, the price of electricity is usually lower.”

Researchers analyzed more than 66,000 data points from STM’s electric buses and found that energy use peaked in winter at 1.7 kilowatt hours per kilometre, about 26 per cent higher than in summer.

Despite those challenges, the study concludes that electric buses are still the cheaper, cleaner option.

The STM plans to electrify its entire network by 2040, adding around 140 electric buses each year.