Zenobē, a London-based global fleet electrification and battery storage specialist, and the City of Brampton, Ontario, has announced that they are leading a consortium of U.K. and Canadian partners, including OEMs and TD Securities Inc., that will begin a CA$4 billion partnership to help the Brampton Transit bus fleet transition to zero emissions. Serving Toronto’s biggest suburb, this project will be the first stage in a 10-year electrification framework that will aid in the city’s transition to a zero-emission public transportation system.
This project will bring CA$1 billion in foreign investment to Canada, further solidifying commercial links between the United Kingdom and Canada and demonstrating the strength of public and private collaborations.
One of the biggest zero-emission bus (ZEB) initiatives in North America, the Brampton project has significant positive social and environmental effects. ZEBs help create cleaner, healthier communities by lowering greenhouse gas emissions, improving local air quality, and reducing noise pollution.
The collaboration plans to replace the city’s current fleet of diesel buses with 1,000 electric buses. The first phase of the project’s infrastructure is anticipated to be online in early 2027, initially supporting existing routes and a yearly passenger volume of over 40 million.
As part of this partnership, Brampton will procure electric buses from Canadian suppliers, with planning and design, software, supply chain relationships and capital markets expertise provided by the Zenobē team. The initiative also includes comprehensive technical experience and expertise from the U.K. and dedicated electrical and civil engineering teams on the ground in Brampton.
Hon. Fouzia Younis, U.K.’s Consul-General to Ontario, announced: “This landmark partnership between Zenobē and the City of Brampton is a powerful example of how U.K.-Canada collaboration can deliver real-world solutions to global challenges. It showcases the U.K.’s leadership in clean transport and infrastructure, while creating skilled jobs and driving innovation on both sides of the Atlantic. I am thrilled to see British expertise helping to shape a more sustainable future for one of Canada’s fastest-growing cities, and we look forward to this project serving as a model for future international cooperation.”
Steven Meersman, Co-Founder and Director, Zenobē, commented: “We bring considerable experience working with local and federal public sector partners to enable and accelerate their transition to electric fleets. Our customized match-funding options, combined with the experience from delivering over 120 electric depots globally, lowers costs and de-risks the inevitable path to zero-emission fleets. We are delighted to grow our presence in Canada, and with Brampton, as we jointly achieve their financial and ecological objectives. We expect this will serve as a model for other projects currently under development.”
Hon. Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, Member of Parliament, Brampton East noted: “The U.K. is one of our oldest and closest trading partners and I am very excited that our relationship will deepen even more through the investment partnership between the City of Brampton and Zenobē. As Canada continues our efforts on trade diversification, this investment by U.K. partners is great news for our economy, creating thousands of jobs.”
Brampton Mayor, Patrick Brown, stated: “This historic investment marks a turning point for Brampton and for public transit across Canada. By transitioning to a fully electric bus fleet, we’re not only reducing emissions — we’re creating jobs, improving air quality, and building a cleaner, healthier future for our residents. Brampton is proud to lead one of North America’s largest zero-emission transit projects, and we are grateful to our partners in the U.K. and Canada for helping make this bold vision a reality.”
Heidi Dempster, General Manager, Transit, City of Brampton, remarked: “With one of the largest zero-emission bus programs in North America, Brampton is setting a new standard for sustainable, modern public transit. Beyond reducing emissions and improving air quality for our residents, this partnership will also drive local economic growth, creating thousands of jobs and building expertise right here in Brampton. We’re proud to work alongside Zenobē and all partners as we deliver on Council’s vision for a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient future for one of Canada’s fastest-growing communities.”
Since its founding in 2017, Zenobē has contributed to the transformation of the public transportation industry by implementing extensive fleet electrification supported by creative debt financing and industry-leading operational optimization capabilities. In the United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, it now supports more than 2,000 electric cars. Zenobē’s standing as a world leader in heavy-duty fleet electrification is cemented by this news. Zenobē offers funding, charging infrastructure, and a battery management service as part of its end-to-end electrification solutions for public and commercial fleet operators.
In 2023, Zenobē received £870 million (CA$1.6 billion) in stock from its combined majority owners, KKR and M&G Infracapital, for worldwide investments in grid-scale batteries and electric cars.
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