Los Angeles Metro has approved a $337.7 million base contract for 220 battery-electric buses, while keeping future purchases under closer board oversight.
The Sept. 24 action, reported by LA Streetsblog, authorizes a contract with ElDorado National California, or ENC, for 40-foot buses. Metro's staff report puts the base contract at $337,698,727.58, including taxes and delivery. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in spring 2028.
The contract includes options for as many as 1,600 additional buses, but those are not an order for 1,600 vehicles. An amendment requires board approval before options are exercised, in increments of no more than 300 buses. The board also retains the ability to decline an option and seek new bids.
That distinction makes the procurement a test of more than vehicle production. Before returning for additional purchases, Metro must evaluate delivery performance, depot electrification, infrastructure readiness and the retirement schedule for aging compressed natural gas buses. It must also assess the delivered electric buses' reliability, range and efficiency in passenger service.
The first 220 buses are intended primarily for Metro's El Monte and Carson divisions, supporting the North Hollywood-to-Pasadena bus rapid transit project and other local routes. The staff report estimates a range of 174 to 250 miles on a charge. Actual operating performance will depend on conditions and remains something to verify after delivery.
The purchase follows a reset of Metro's earlier procurement. Staff canceled a prior solicitation in November 2025, citing issues including safety requirements, requested contract deviations and price. New solicitations issued the following month sought a 220-bus base order and a separate 20-bus purchase.
Local coverage by Streetsblog Los Angeles described the final action as a narrower commitment than simply handing staff broad authority to expand the order. The board's amendment ties future decisions to evidence from delivery and operation, as well as compliance with employment and labor commitments.
Metro's budget figures also require care. The $337.7 million vehicle contract is not the same as the full acquisition project's budget. The board action raises the life-of-project budget to about $434.4 million, including other program costs and existing funding.
For Metro, the order is a substantial step toward replacing gas-powered buses, but placing an order does not electrify a depot or establish a reliable route assignment. The next milestones are coordinated charging infrastructure, on-time deliveries and buses that can meet daily service requirements before larger options are exercised.
