HONOLULU -- The city Thursday unveiled its new hybrid electric bus, the first of 10 vehicles that are part of the city's controversial transportation plan.

Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris said the new articulated hybrid electric bus will ensure a quality environment.

"These vehicles you see have a 90 percent less emissions from their exhaust. These vehicles use electric power in acceleration," Harris said.

The electric buses, at $750,000 each, are scheduled to go into service on the city's new Bus Rapid Transit Express Route on Nov. 8, from Iwilei to Waikiki.

However, before they even get rolling, the new buses already face an uncertain future. Critics this week filed a temporary restraining order to stop the construction and operation of the BRT. They call the project illegal because it does not have federal approval on an environmental review process.

The mayor said the lawsuit irrelevant.

"These are city buses on city streets and quite frankly the federal court has no jurisdiction for city money on city streets," Harris said.

Without federal money, members of the Alliance for Traffic Improvement say residents are being shortchanged.

"The local people's monies are being used to fund services for tourists, when the local people need more bus services," said Dale Evans, of Alliance Traffic Improvement.

Harris said it will be up to the new mayor to decide whether to continue the next phase of the project. He recommends it be done without federal support.

"One thing we've learned is that it takes years to go through the process, to jump through all the hurdles, to meet the criteria. Then, the amount of federal funding that is available is so small that it's not worth the delay costs," Harris said.