ORANGE, Calif. — The Orange County Transportation Authority will buy 50 new zero-emission buses, officials said Tuesday.

On Monday, the OCTA Board of Directors voted to buy 40 hydrogen fuel-cell electric buses and 10 battery-powered vehicles to replace compressed natural gas buses at the end of their run.

"I'm proud that OCTA is an industry leader in transitioning to zero- emission technology," OCTA Chair Tam Nguyen said. "And I'm glad we're helping set the standard for a future where our passengers can continue to count on reliable bus service while protecting our environment."

The agency is working to comply with a state goal of zero-emission technology by 2040. Half of the agency's new buses must be zero-emission by 2026, and all of them by 2029, officials said.

The initial price of the 50 new buses was $84.4 million, but taking advantage of the state's tax exemption for zero-emission vehicle sales, the OCTA was able to negotiate the price down to $77.5 million.

The 40 hydrogen fuel-cell buses will cost $63.6 million, with the battery-powered electric buses costing $13.9 million.

The agency's board also voted to buy 11 battery chargers for the new vehicles, which will cost $2.2 million.