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Great to see the University of Georgia adopting electric transit buses designed and built right here in the USA! Keep an eye on Proterra - they are the Tesla of the transit world. We need additional electric transit options here in West Virginia! Ask your local transit system about adopting electric buses. There may even be grant opportunities available for such purchases. Electric Buses Transform UGA’s Transit System 
4 Comments
Francis
7/21/2020 12:10:55 pm
I agree!! WV needs electric transit: namely buses.
Robert Fernatt
7/21/2020 12:36:41 pm
Hello Francis! Yes, the rest of the country is seeing more interest in electrifying buses, both transit and school buses. Dominion Power and a county school system in Virginia are doing some fantastic work with school buses. Any fleet based transit with regular routes and that overnights at a central depot/distribution center is ripe for electrification - buses, garbage trucks, delivery trucks, etc. The fuel savings and reduced maintenance make a compelling case if you're computing per mile costs for the life of the vehicle. And, there are possible new services that can be provided like grid stabilization (what Dominion is doing with those school buses when they're not in use in the peak summer demand period). Cool stuff coming down the road, but WV will have to up its game in this area and that requires political leadership and will.
Francis
7/21/2020 03:32:05 pm
This is good. I think organizations are more willing to consider electrification in transit. What do you think it’s holding back the electrification of the bus system in WV?
Robert Fernatt
7/22/2020 12:08:44 pm
I believe it's a couple things. First, the initial expense of electrified vehicles is greater. Although it may pay back in spades over time, you have to get over that first hurdle. This is where low cost loans, grants, and partnerships with energy companies could help. That's how the Virginia school system is buying the buses - Dominion Power is paying the difference between a diesel bus and the EV bus and Dominion gets to use the buses as large batteries during peak demand periods (summer). Second, the bus and depot charging technologies are still relatively new and some bus systems are probably waiting to see more real world experience plus they'll need staff that can work on these buses even if they need less maintenance than a diesel unit. Cold weather performance on longer routes is something that does need more work from what I've read. City vs rural experience could be different too. Regardless, we need pilot projects testing and learning with these new technologies to find out where they make the most sense now and in the future. IMHO, of course. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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AuthorRobert Fernatt - EV, solar, and coffee aficionado. Also, cat servant. Archives
October 2023
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