NFI announces additional order from Ohio’s COTA for 14 New Flyer zero-emission, long-range electric buses, and associated charging infrastructure

ST. CLOUD, Minn., Jan. 17, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (TSX: NFI, OTC: NFYEF, TSX: NFI.DB) NFI Group Inc. (“NFI”), a leading independent bus and coach manufacturer and a leader in electric mass mobility solutions, today announced that its subsidiary New Flyer of America Inc. (“New Flyer”) received a new order from Central Ohio Transit Authority (“COTA”) for 14 zero-emission, battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG™ forty-foot heavy-duty transit buses, purchased off the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services contract.

NFI Infrastructure Solutions™ will provide project coordination and commissioning, and 20 ABB HVC-C 150kW plug-in chargers and 40 dispensers, supporting reliable and safe battery-electric bus deployment in Columbus, OH.

Supported by Federal Transit Administration funds, this order follows COTA’s previous purchase of eight battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG transit buses, announced in May 2022. These new zero-emission, Buy America-compliant buses will support COTA's goals of enhancing passenger experience and transitioning to a 100% zero-emission bus fleet by 2035 to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2045.

COTA is an award-winning regional public transit provider serving the greater Columbus area and Central Ohio, delivering nearly 19 million annual passenger trips. In 2020, the American Public Transportation Association awarded COTA its second Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award, recognizing COTA as the best transit organization of its size in North America.

“For over 20 years, COTA has relied on NFI's efficient and safe mobility solutions. NFI has delivered over 186 transit buses to COTA since 2001. With this latest order of high-performance electric buses and infrastructure, we continue to enable COTA's safe and successful transition to a net zero carbon future,” said Chris Stoddart, President, North American Bus and Coach, NFI. “Each Xcelsior CHARGE NG will avoid up to 135 metric tons of greenhouse gas per year compared to a traditional diesel bus, delivering substantial clean air benefits to Columbus communities. Together with COTA, we are building more sustainable communities in Ohio.”

Introduced in 2021, the Xcelsior CHARGE NG bus incorporates three distinct technology advancements, including high-energy batteries that extend range up to 13%, advanced protective battery packaging for easy installation and simpler serviceability, and a new lightweight electric traction drive system with up to 90% energy recovery. For more information, visit newflyer.com/ng.

New Flyer’s zero-emission deployments are supported by NFI Infrastructure Solutions, providing safe and reliable infrastructure services for smart, sustainable mobility projects with over 330 EV chargers installed to date. For more information, visit nfigroup.com/IS.

NFI is a leader in zero-emission mobility, with electric vehicles operating (or on order) in more than 120 cities in six countries. NFI offers the widest range of zero-emission battery and fuel cell-electric buses and coaches, and its vehicles have completed over 85 million EV service miles.

Today, NFI supports growing North American cities with scalable, clean, and sustainable mobility solutions through a four-pillar approach that includes buses and coaches, technology, infrastructure, and workforce development. NFI also operates the Vehicle Innovation Center (“VIC”), the first and only innovation lab of its kind dedicated to advancing bus and coach technology and providing workforce development. Since opening in late 2017, the VIC has hosted over 300 interactive events, welcoming 5,000 industry professionals for EV and infrastructure training.

About NFI

Leveraging 450 years of combined experience, NFI is leading the electrification of mass mobility around the world. With zero-emission buses and coaches, infrastructure, and technology, NFI meets today’s urban demands for scalable smart mobility solutions. Together, NFI is enabling more livable cities through connected, clean, and sustainable transportation.

With 7,500 team members in nine countries, NFI is a leading global bus manufacturer of mass mobility solutions under the brands New Flyer^® (heavy-duty transit buses), MCI^® (motor coaches), Alexander Dennis Limited (single and double-deck buses), Plaxton (motor coaches), ARBOC^® (low-floor cutaway and medium-duty buses), and NFI Parts™. NFI currently offers the widest range of sustainable drive systems available, including zero-emission electric (trolley, battery, and fuel cell), natural gas, electric hybrid, and clean diesel. In total, NFI supports its installed base of over 105,000 buses and coaches around the world. NFI’s common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) under the symbol NFI and its convertible unsecured debentures trade on the TSX under the symbol NFI.DB. News and information is available at www.nfigroup.com, www.newflyer.com, www.mcicoach.com, www.nfi.parts, www.alexander-dennis.com, www.arbocsv.com, and www.carfaircomposites.com.

About New Flyer

New Flyer is North America’s heavy-duty transit bus leader and offers the most advanced product line under the Xcelsior^® and Xcelsior CHARGE^® brands. It also offers infrastructure development through NFI Infrastructure Solutions™, a service dedicated to providing safe, sustainable, and reliable charging and mobility solutions. New Flyer actively supports over 35,000 heavy-duty transit buses (New Flyer, NABI, and Orion) currently in service, of which 8,600 are powered by electric motors and battery propulsion and 1,900 are zero-emission. Further information is available at www.newflyer.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release may contain forward-looking statements relating to expected future events and financial and operating results of NFI Group that involve risks and uncertainties. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, investors cannot be assured that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements, and the differences may be material. Actual results may differ materially from management expectations as projected in such forward-looking statements for a variety of reasons, including market and general economic conditions and economic conditions of and funding availability for customers to purchase buses and to purchase parts or services; customers may not exercise options to purchase additional buses; the ability of customers to suspend or terminate contracts for convenience; production may be delayed or production rates may be decreased as a result of the pandemic or ongoing and future supply chain disruptions and shortages of parts and components, shipping and freight delays, and disruption to labor supply; and the other risks and uncertainties discussed in the materials filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Due to the potential impact of these factors, the NFI Group disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law.

For media inquiries, please contact: 
Amanda Wanke 
P: 515.474.1704 
[email protected] 

For investor inquiries, please contact:
Stephen King
P: 204.224.6382
[email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2dd42f56-fbaf-42c1-9b91-70fed47a1c56