The City of Edmonton is requesting $82 million in damages from an American vehicle manufacturer after a colossal electric bus project failure.
In the summer of 2020, Edmonton spent $60 million on electric buses, and over $20 million on charging stations for them.
Fast forward three and a half years, the city now admits that the buses have been a complete and utter disaster: the buses have struggled to maintain battery life, reliability, and durability — especially during the cold winter months.
The City of Edmonton is now seeking $82 million in damages from the American company Proterra, where they purchased the buses from. The lawsuit claims that the buses have failed to maintain the operating range as promised in the contract with Proterra.
“We’re just deeply disappointed and frustrated. We were blindsided by this,” Edmonton Transit Service branch manager Carrie Hotton-MacDonald said.
Edmonton also spent $200,000 on blankets to keep the batteries warm during the winter time, hoping this could fix the mechanical issues.
Despite the blankets, almost all 60 electrical buses are currently not in use.
Over $80 million tax dollars wasted for “climate benefits”
It remains to be seen if Edmontonians will bear the $80 million burden that left-wing climate alarmists virtue signalled about after securing the deal.
At the time, when Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson signed off on the electrical buses, he said they’d provide “a smoother ride” and produce “decreased emissions,” claiming they’d contribute towards the city’s climate goals.
This was the “largest purchase of electric buses in Canadian history” he boasted at the time.
The city claimed the investment would bring huge financial benefits for Edmonton, as the battery powered buses are “30% cheaper” to maintain than diesel buses.
“These buses are obviously going to be fantastic for the environment, but they’re also going to save us money on the operating side of things too,” Councillor Andrew Knack said.
The Trudeau Liberal’s then-Climate Change Minister, Catherine McKenna, also thanked Iveson: “Thank you @doniveson for your amazing leadership and continued advocacy for #Edmonton residents on climate action, improving infrastructure like public transit and electric buses…”
