Strathcona County Transit 2022 New Flyer XHE40 #5001

For the first time in over 20 years, Strathcona County Transit added a New Flyer bus to their fleet in the form of a hydrogen fuel cell Xcelsior from. This addition to the fleet saw ETS purchased a pair XHE40 hydrogen fuel buses as part of Alberta Zero Emission Hydrogen Transit (AZEHT) project to develop hands on experience in Alberta with fuel cell buses. Each bus cost about $1.6 million, with Strathcona County then reimburing ETS for one bus, while ETS retained the other bus as their 6016. Emissions Reduction Alberta helped fund the two buses by providing funding for the difference in purchase price between a diesel and hydrogen fuel cell.so that the cost to Strathcona was $800,000. The buses feature Ballard fuel cells. Refuelling will take place at the Alberta Zero Emission Truck Electrification Collaboration (AZETEC) site being developed to test Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell trucks. The bus is has very similar specs to Edmonton's bus, however, it does feature thermoplastic lower skirt panels. The wrap the bus has is pretty much the same as ETS's, but on a white paint base. This is to be a 23 month project, and could see either or both of the Edmonton and Strathcona buses visiting other properties, although so far the buses have yet to visit other properties (as of October 2026). 5001 has seen intermittent service, usually staying on local route, but in the summer of 2025 for a few weeks it did run a 404 commuter run into Edmonton.

Fuel Cell: Ballard FCveloCity HD85 Electric Propulsion System: Siemens ELFA3 drive motor inverter and control with a Siemens 282 HP PEM Motor

Thumbnail	Bus #	Date	Description
	7001/ 5001	August 2022	7001 shortly after delivery to ETS at Ferrier Garage. The bus would later be renumbered to 5001.
	5001	September 23, 2022	5001 outside of Ferrier Garage waiting to be move to Edmonton EXPO Centre for the Edmonton Electric and Hydrogen Vehicle Expo the next day.
	5001	September 23, 2022	5001 outside of Ferrier Garage waiting to be move to Edmonton EXPO Centre for the Edmonton Electric and Hydrogen Vehicle Expo the next day.
	5001	September 24, 2022	5001 at the the 2022 Edmonton Electric and Hydrogen Vehicle Expo.
	5001	September 24, 2022	5001, with 7001 still on the rear while on display at the 2022 Edmonton Electric and Hydrogen Vehicle Expo.
	5001	September 24, 2022	Interior towards the rear of 5001.
	5001	April 8, 2025	5001 as a 450 at the Bethel Transit Terminal.
	5001	April 21, 2025	5001 working a route 450 at the Bethel Transit Terminal.
	5001	April 21, 2025	5001 working a route 450 at the Bethel Transit Terminal.
	5001	April 21, 2025	5001 working a route 450 at the Bethel Transit Terminal.
	5001	July 15, 2025	5001 eastbound on Whtye Ave at 83 St as a route 404 during the short period that the bus was used on a block that ran into Edmonton.
	5001	July 17, 2025	5001 a few days later, again on the 404, this time southbound on 112 St at 87 Ave.