NFI NFI Group Inc

(TSX: NFI, OTC: NFYEF, TSX: NFI.DB) NFI Group Inc. (NFI) a leading independent bus and coach manufacturer and a leader in zero-emission electric mass mobility solutions, subsidiary Alexander Dennis Limited (Alexander Dennis), today announced that it has taken a firm order from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority for 58 next-generation Enviro400EV zero-emission buses.

The electric buses are expected to join the city region’s current fleet later this year. Publicly owned by the Combined Authority, they will be operated by a commercial bus operator ahead of the introduction of franchising from 2026 onwards. Their purchase is being supported by the second tranche of the Department for Transport’s Zero-Emission Bus Regional Areas fund (ZEBRA 2).

The Enviro400EV is part of Alexander Dennis’ next generation of zero-emission buses. It has been designed to maximize its environmental benefits, and testing certified by the Zemo Partnership has confirmed its best-in-class energy requirement of only 0.67kWh/km over the UK Bus Cycle alongside a market-leading 97% grid-to-wheel charging efficiency. Combined with a warranted energy throughput of up to 1.6GWh, ongoing operating costs will be kept to a minimum to ensure the buses are financially as well as environmentally sustainable.

All 58 Enviro400EV for the Liverpool City Region will be built in Britain, supporting 1,900 UK skilled jobs and more than 60 apprenticeships at Alexander Dennis as well as further significant employment at the manufacturer’s 8,000 suppliers across the United Kingdom.

“Buses are the backbone of our public transport network – around 80% of all public transport journeys in our region are taken by bus. But for too long, our communities have been left with a second-class service that simply doesn’t work for them,” said Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region. “That’s why we’re taking back control of our buses and putting the public back at the heart of public transport. These new, state-of-the-art, all-electric double-deckers are another step towards building the London-style transport system our region deserves – one that’s reliable, affordable, and works for the people it’s meant to serve. And because they’re built right here in Britain, they’re helping to support thousands of good, well-paid jobs and apprenticeships too. Franchising will be the biggest shake-up to our bus network in decades, but we’re not waiting until 2026 to make things better. Whether it’s capping fares at £2 or investing in cleaner, greener vehicles, we’re getting on with the job of making journeys cheaper, better, and more sustainable for local people.”

“We’re honoured to support the team at the Combined Authority and Mayor Steve Rotheram as they work to further improve bus services across the Liverpool City Region. The 58 new Enviro400EV double deckers we’re building will cut out tailpipe emissions and offer passengers a smoother, quieter journey. They will also support British jobs and apprenticeships across our own network of facilities as well as in our extensive supply chain, ensuring that public money is reinvested in our economy,” said Paul Davies, President & Managing Director, Alexander Dennis. “Political leaders like Mayor Steve Rotheram deserve huge credit for the support they are providing to British bus manufacturers, recognizing we are a key contributor to growing the UK economy, and we look forward to working with the other mayoral combined authorities in future to bolster the electric bus revolution.”

NFI is a leader in zero-emission mobility, with electric vehicles operating (or on order) in more than 150 cities in six countries. NFI offers the widest range of zero-emission battery and fuel cell-electric buses and coaches, and its vehicles have completed over 220 million EV service miles.

High resolution images are available for download from the Alexander Dennis website at alexander-dennis.com/media/news.

About NFI

Leveraging 450 years of combined experience, NFI is leading the electrification of mass mobility around the world. With zero-emission buses and coaches, infrastructure, and technology, NFI meets today’s urban demands for scalable smart mobility solutions. Together, NFI is enabling more livable cities through connected, clean, and sustainable transportation.

With over 9,100 team members in ten countries, NFI is a leading global bus manufacturer of mass mobility solutions under the brands New Flyer® (heavy-duty transit buses), MCI® (motorcoaches), Alexander Dennis Limited (single- and double-deck buses), Plaxton (motorcoaches), ARBOC® (low-floor cutaway and medium-duty buses), and NFI Parts™. NFI currently offers the widest range of sustainable drive systems available, including zero-emission electric (trolley, battery, and fuel cell), natural gas, electric hybrid, and clean diesel. In total, NFI supports its installed base of over 100,000 buses and coaches around the world. NFI’s common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) under the symbol NFI and its convertible unsecured debentures trade on the TSX under the symbol NFI.DB. News and information is available at www.nfigroup.com, www.newflyer.com, www.mcicoach.com, nfi.parts, www.alexander-dennis.com, arbocsv.com, and carfaircomposites.com.

About Alexander Dennis

Alexander Dennis is the world’s leading manufacturer of double-deck and lightweight buses as well as the UK’s largest bus builder. The company’s next-generation zero-emission buses are tailored to operators’ requirements and have been independently confirmed to be among the most efficient in the market. In addition to battery-electric and hydrogen-fuel cell vehicles, Alexander Dennis offers low-emission buses that use advanced load management to deliver competitive total cost of ownership for customers. All Alexander Dennis products are backed up by comprehensive AD24 aftermarket support including parts, field service, workshops, technical publications, training and the AD Connect telematics suite.

Alexander Dennis builds on 130 years of heritage and today has team members at 16 facilities in nine countries as well as partner locations. It is a proud part of leading independent global bus manufacturer NFI Group. Further information is available at alexander-dennis.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release may contain forward-looking statements relating to expected future events and financial and operating results of NFI that involve risks and uncertainties. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, investors cannot be assured that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements, and the differences may be material. Actual results may differ materially from management expectations as projected in such forward-looking statements for a variety of reasons, including market and general economic conditions and economic conditions of and funding availability for customers to purchase buses and to purchase parts or services; customers may not exercise options to purchase additional buses; the ability of customers to suspend or terminate contracts for convenience; production may be delayed or production rates may be decreased as a result of ongoing and future supply chain disruptions and shortages of parts and components, shipping and freight delays, and disruption to and shortage of labor supply; and the other risks and uncertainties discussed in the materials filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca.  

Due to the potential impact of these factors, NFI disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law. 

For media inquiries, please contact:Debbie McCreath, +44 1324 574479Stefan Baguette, +44 1324 678047press@alexander-dennis.com

For investor inquiries, please contact:Stephen KingP: 204.792.1300Stephen.King@nfigroup.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c0d9a1ef-e425-4cde-9cf6-a7e97cbde05d