These units make up the latter half of a fleet of four battery-electric units operated on route 100 in a 2.5-year trial that began in September 2019. Together with 19301 and 19302, they form part of the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC)'s Pan-Canadian Electric-Bus Demonstration and Integration Trial to study and promote electric-powered buses in the across Canada.
Procurement of these two buses, the two Nova Bus LFSe coaches, and two charging stations were part of a $7-million investment approved in 2017 by the Metro Vancouver Board of Directors.[1] TransLink was the launch agency for the Pan-Canadian Electric-Bus Demonstration and Integration Trial.
These coaches are the first local units to carry the new standard livery which debuted the previous year on suburban units. However, they were wrapped for the trial before entering service. These buses are equipped with two 50 kWh batteries located on top of the bus and on 100 kWh at the back for a combined total of 200 kWh of power capable of approximately 120 kilometres in range. Deliveries began around May 2019 and went through various road tests before entering revenue service on September 11, 2019, after a media event. Unit 19304 would enter service on a later date a month later.
Along with 19301 and 19302, they are the last in the fleet to be delivered with TSI's analog Color Dome and IR Sideview CCTV cameras pre-installed, which were initially introduced pre-installed on the 2012 XDE60s.
These are the only Xcelsior units in the fleet to have a square-shaped skylight rear emergency roof hatch instead of a rectangle-shaped one standard with Xcelsior buses. This is because there is a reduced area on the roof due to various electrical components installed.
Throughout late April to late June 2023 on Saturday early mornings, a combination of various battery-electric buses comprising of 19301, 19302, 19303, 19304, and 23201 made appearances on route 104 on block 8/100, doing a half trip from Annacis Island to 22nd Street Station. This marked the first semi-regular appearance of battery-electric buses outside of route 100.
Deployment
This entire series is based out of Hamilton, as it is the only depot with sufficient charging stations. These buses only run on the 100 Marpole/22nd Street Station route.