Electric bus pilot project to hit Montreal streets in 2015

The Quebec government will be investing $12-millionin a pilot project aimed at putting electric buses on Montreal streets.

The Cit Mobile project will allow the STM to buy threeentirelyelectric buses that would use a recharging method conceived by Nova Bus.

In October, thePartiQubcoisgovernment announced that it would invest $516-million inthe development of an electric vehicle industry in Quebec that will build electric cars, electric railways, and related infrastructure.

• Read more about the PQ's electrification plan here

Premier Pauline Marois confirmed the $12-million investment on Friday morning.

The buses should hitthe roadas of 2015, for a three-year trial period.

According to the STM, the initiative is part of the City Of Montreals goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020.

The bus routes affected and where the charging stations will be placed have not yet been determined.

The pilot project is in partnership with Nova Bus, an affiliate of the Volvo group. Montreal is the first North American city to participate in Volvos Cit Mobile program.