Full-size electric buses are growing in popularity, but what about their smaller counterparts?
Midibuses, or single-decker, medium-size minibuses, are rarely electric. However, Canadian automaker Letenda is determined to fill that long-empty gap in electric vehicles' scope.
Dubbed the Electrip, Letenda's 30-foot midibus targets suburban routes, universities, and airport transportation, according to Electrek. It can carry up to 45 passengers in addition to six wheelchair seats and has a 222-296 kilowatt-hour capacity. The Electrip is also built for winter, complete with a heated floor and windshield.
Letenda is giving this midibus its all. The company is partnering with a manufacturer in Ontario to build the midibuses and is exclusively working on the Electrip rather than diversifying its products. It hopes that this laser focus will give its bus a leg up on its competitors.
With projects such as the Electrip, travelers have more opportunities to reduce both transportation costs and pollution.
Using public transit already results in less pollution than using a personal vehicle, regardless of how it's powered; electric buses reduce it even more. According to a 2024 study, electrifying buses could reduce pollution by up to 65%, depending on how quickly cities transition from gas buses.
Taking public transit also shrinks your monthly budget. Bus riders don't have to spend money on parking, maintenance costs, car insurance, or fuel, for example. In fact, a 2023 report by the American Public Transportation Association found that riders can save over $13,000 annually by using public transit. While city governments spend more to buy electric buses than gas-powered ones, the cleaner rides can still save cities up to $170,000 in the long run.
Letenda plans to deliver five midibuses by 2027, with a long-term goal of 78 by 2030.
Electric vehicle enthusiasts discussed what Letenda has in store.
"It sounds like a good idea," one Electrek commenter said.
TCD Picks Ā» Upway Spotlight
š”Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
A user on r/electricvehicles felt similarly, writing, "This is the way forward for the automotive industry in Canada given current geopolitics."
|
What's the most you'd pay per month to put solar panels on your roof if there was no down payment?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
$200 or more š° 
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices ā and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.
Cool Picks
