Electric buses. A definitive guide for commercial fleets. - Motive

• Learn about electric buses and how they work
• Electric bus charging is an important element of the sustainable public transit solution
• Considering advantages and disadvantages can help you maximize electric bus operations

Global concerns over urban air quality and carbon emissions are prompting public transit to reconsider energy sources. Municipalities looking for potential operational cost savings are also considering electric buses. 

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But what is an electric bus, and how does it work? This guide will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of electric buses, and provide more insights into sustainable public transport.

What is an electrical bus?

An electric bus is a passenger transit vehicle powered by an electric motor. Instead of an internal combustion engine, electric buses store the electricity needed to power the vehicle in a battery. As a result, an electric bus is also called a battery-electric bus (BEB). The electric motor serves as both the engine and transmission.

The electric bus is popular in China, where 17% of the country’s total fleet was a BEB in . While there were 421,000 buses on the road in mainland China, there were only 300 in the U.S. and 2,250 in Europe.

How do electric buses work?

A signal is sent to the powertrain system controller upon starting the bus. That signal powers up the high-voltage battery and converts it into electrical energy, which powers the electric motor and thermal management system.

The battery is effectively the fuel tank of the electric bus. So, the size of the battery correlates to how far the bus can go without recharging. 

How the bus is used also factors into the battery charge, known as its duty cycle. You might think of a duty cycle this way:

• A light-duty cycle is taking a leisurely walk along a paved, flat path.
• A medium-duty cycle is taking a more hilly path while pushing an infant in a stroller and pulling a dog along.
• A heavy-duty cycle is running with a double stroller and holding two kindergarteners up a steep incline, against the wind.

A light-duty cycle will burn a lot less energy than a heavy-duty cycle.

Along with your speed, weight transported, and road conditions, other factors can impact the duty cycle of electric buses. Factors include driving and weather conditions, the number of stops and starts, elevation changes, how quickly the bus accelerates, and more.

How fast can an electrical bus go?

Most electric buses are operated in urban environments. They don’t need to go at highway speed. They can reach 40 to 45 mph but will average lower speeds. The higher the speed, the shorter the range.

How long does charging an electric bus take?

The time it takes for an electric bus to fully charge depends on the type of charger.

There are two main types of electric bus chargers: plug-in chargers and pantograph chargers. 

A plug-in charger can charge an electric bus in two to eight hours. The charger can be either direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC). AC chargers are slower but more affordable, while DC chargers can charge batteries up to 150 KW.

A pantograph charger is more powerful. The buses drive underneath the robotic arm of a pantograph charger, which attaches to the electrical conductors on top of the vehicle for a quick charge. These types of stations may be found on a bus’s route to enable electric bus charging without the driver having to return to the lot.

Pantograph chargers carry more current for faster charging. They use DC that can charge up to 350 KW. 

How much does an electric bus charging station cost?

The cost of an electric bus charging station depends on the type of charge used. A DC charger is more expensive, as the voltage is higher and more volatile. 

According to one estimate, plug-in chargers can cost between $2,000 and $5,000 for the equipment, and $1,000 to over $10,000 for installation, depending on the complexity. Meanwhile, DC fast chargers are more expensive at around $10,000 to $15,000 for more basic equipment, and more than $40,000 for larger, more powerful stations. They also require a three-phase power supply, so installation costs are typically higher as well — ranging from $4,000 to $15,000 on the lower end to over $50,000 for larger, more complex projects.

Keep in mind that one charger can service six to eight buses per hour, depending on route scheduling.

Advantages of electric buses

The many advantages of electric buses help explain their growing popularity. Let’s look at some of the main ones in greater detail.

Environmental benefits

Electric vehicles are more energy efficient and have zero carbon emissions. This not only helps public health but can reduce the risk of global warming.

Lower operation and maintenance costs

Electric buses don’t need to gas up. The battery is their fuel. And without the internal combustion engine or diesel fuel, you can expect lower maintenance costs. The useful lifespan of an electric bus is around 12 years, per manufacturer Gregory Poole.

Smoother, quieter ride

If you’re at a NASCAR event, you’re expecting to hear the roar of the engine. However, passenger transit riders don’t need to hear that gas-guzzling engine’s roar. Instead, they can enjoy a quieter, zippier ride around the city while commuting to work or getting to school.

Regenerative braking

When drivers apply the brakes on an electric bus, they give the battery more juice. The bus is designed to capture that kinetic energy and put it back into the battery. This helps the bus to run more efficiently and lowers wear on the braking system.

No overhead wires

Electric trolleys, which you may have seen in Zurich in Switzerland, or San Francisco in the United States, or Toronto in Canada, get their power from the overhead wires. Electric buses, on the other hand, store the electricity needed in batteries.

Still, there are disadvantages of electric buses. We address these concerns next.

Disadvantages of electric buses

We’ve discussed the advantages of electric buses, but there are some disadvantages to consider too. As technology advances, expect manufacturers to continue to address these issues.

Higher purchase price

Since the technology is still new and only a few electric bus manufacturers exist, the prices are higher. Additionally, you’ll need to factor in the price of the electric charging stations.

Charging time

It doesn’t take long to fill up a diesel fuel tank, but it can take hours to charge an electric bus. A fast charge electric bus may be able to restore an hour’s worth of energy usage within 10 minutes. However, that battery will have a diminished operation range.

Limited range

Electric buses can only go so far before they need to recharge. Mass Transit defines an Extended Range Battery-Electric Bus as one that can operate for over 80 miles before it needs to recharge.

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Unlike diesel buses, electric buses need to use an electric charging station to recharge, which can be more inconvenient to find compared to a diesel gas station.

Weather/road conditions can impact buses

Electric buses can be challenged by extreme weather conditions or hilly routes. Bloomberg reported the Minnesota Valley Transportation Authority (MVTA) had difficulties with electric buses maintaining a full day’s charge in the cold of winter.

Electric buses vs. diesel buses

As already discussed, when comparing electric buses to diesel buses, the cost is a big factor. The electric bus is more expensive upfront, although there are many manufacturer incentive programs. You’ll save money over the life of the electric bus, as you can enjoy lower fuel costs and maintenance costs.

With diesel buses, you don’t have to worry about range or about the road and weather conditions.

Top electric bus companies

Verified Market Research predicts positive growth in the global electric bus market in the near future. Having valued the market at USD 102.71 thousand in , VMR projected the market will reach USD 686.31 thousand by , growing at a CAGR of 26.8% from to .

VMR identified the following electric bus companies as top players:

• Volvo Group
• BYD
• VDP Group
• Proterra

How Motive can help maximize your electric bus operation

Electric buses can help you realize cost savings and contribute to a cleaner, healthier environment. Fleet management software can help you make the most of your electric bus operations.

Sustainability is one of the reasons to adopt electric buses. Motive supports sustainable logistics with features that:

• Optimize route planning.
• Find fuel savings.
• Reduce vehicle idling.
• Protect asset lifespan.
• Digitize paper.

Motive’s fleet management solution also improves fleet safety by helping you recognize accident risk factors such as:

• Road conditions.
• Vehicle conditions.
• Driver inattention.
• Driver fatigue.

Table of Contents

Transit agencies around the United States and several other countries are purchasing battery-powered electric buses (BEBs) at increasing rates and these trends are expected to accelerate in the coming years. BEBs are powered by battery packs that run an electric motor to turn the wheels, the same as battery-powered electric cars. The batteries are recharged by plug-in chargers using electricity from the transmission grid. Since they do not use gasoline or diesel, BEBs do not produce tailpipe pollution. Thus, BEBs offer a better option than other bus technologies for reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, as well as other harmful pollutants in urban areas.

As recently as December , most U.S. transit agencies were still skeptical about transitioning to BEBs due to cost and performance issues. However, that consensus is shifting rapidly. In , a typical 40-foot diesel bus cost about $445,000 while a BEB of similar length went for $770,000. Since then, the price difference between the two has decreased somewhat, but remains significant. The lower operating costs of BEBs, however, make them more economical in the long run than internal combustion engine buses. It is about 2.5 times cheaper to power vehicles with electricity rather than diesel, and electricity prices are generally much more stable than gasoline or diesel prices. The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory has found that the fuel economy of BEBs is five times higher than that of diesel buses operated on equivalent routes. In addition, maintenance costs for electric motors is much lower because they have far fewer moving parts than conventional motors and are far more efficient.

The current battery technology of choice for electric buses is lithium-ion, the price of which has dropped 80 percent since , and is projected to drop another 50 percent by or . A lithium-ion battery provides enough energy to operate a bus for about 150 miles (in most conditions) before needing to be recharged. For hilly cities or cities where air conditioning must be used a lot, that range is significantly reduced. Charging can be done in a few different ways: slowly overnight (which causes the least wear to the battery and other components), by using an overhead charging system, or by using a system that is embedded under the pavement. The latter two methods are much quicker than the first method, but tend to degrade the bus components more quickly.

It is estimated that there are currently about 386,000 electric buses deployed around the world, with 99 percent of them in China, and less than 0.1 percent (only 350 buses) in the United States. However, a recent report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimated that by , half of the world’s municipal bus fleet will be electric, and by , 84 percent of new municipal buses sold will be electric. By , 80 percent of the world’s city bus fleet will be electric, along with 33 percent of the world’s cars. City buses (vs. inter-city or charter buses) are especially well-suited to electric power because they are regularly returned to a central depot where they can be recharged, and they don't operate over long ranges. Battery-charged vehicles typically have a driving range of 70-100 miles, and some can go up to 265 miles before needing to be recharged (diesel buses have an average range of 690 miles). Municipal buses also don’t carry too heavy a load (humans) compared to freight vehicles.

U.S. Transit Agencies Purchasing Battery-Powered Electric Buses

Many major cities and counties around the world are pledging to shift their entire fleets to BEBs by specific dates in the future. In the United States, these include Los Angeles County (by ), Seattle (King County, by ), San Francisco (by ), and New York (by ). To date, however, most city transit agencies have purchased BEBs in small numbers, to test them for reliability and compare them to traditional buses. The American Public Transportation Association (APTA, representing all of the major public transit agencies in the country) has stated that the economics of BEBs are shifting, although the price point for individual buses remains a barrier to overtaking diesel or other fuel systems. Below is a list of cities/transit agencies that have reportedly purchased BEBs to date or are planning BEB purchases.

Battery-Powered Electric Bus Manufacturers in North America

There are many companies worldwide that are engaged in the manufacture of electric buses (not including component parts) or electric-diesel hybrids. Eight of those companies are U.S.-based: five in California, the others in South Carolina, Missouri, and North Carolina.

In North America, the main manufacturers of electric buses are: Byd (a Chinese company that built a manufacturing facility in Lancaster, CA, 70 miles north of Los Angeles, just prior to winning a contract with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority); Proterra (a Silicon Valley startup with manufacturing facilities in California and South Carolina); and New Flyer Industries, Inc. (a Canadian bus manufacturer based in Winnipeg).

Over the past year, several performance problems have been identified with BEBs produced by Byd that were purchased by local transit agencies in California, Colorado, and New Mexico. The buses reportedly depleted their battery charge far before their advertised range, stalled or had problems starting, and had difficulty climbing hills. After the problems were uncovered, the local transit agencies have been seeking recourse with Byd. Meanwhile, rival BEB manufacturers Proterra and New Flyer subsequently demonstrated their vehicles' competency on steep grades and other performance challenges in testing scenarios.

Health and Environmental Benefits of Battery-Electric Powered Buses

The health hazards of diesel buses (the technology currently used for the vast majority of buses) are well known among health professionals. Moreover, buses tend to be used in urban settings where there are concentrations of people and air quality is already degraded by other pollutants. Diesel, which is a known carcinogen, can also cause respiratory diseases such as asthma. Those who use public transit most often, including children, the elderly, and those without access to a car, are at particular risk.

A particularly compelling case can be made for transitioning school buses from diesel to electric. Because children are exposed daily to the exhaust fumes from their buses, studies have shown that children who ride the bus to school are more likely to develop respiratory diseases and worsening levels of conditions like asthma. Studies have shown that exposure to diesel soot and ground-level ozone created by diesel exhaust is linked to higher rates of cancer and mortality. Children are especially vulnerable to the negative health effects caused by air pollution, as their respiratory systems are still in development and they inhale more air per pound of body weight than adults. Electric buses also produce much less noise than combustion engine buses. The beneficial health effects of BEBs over diesel are provided to drivers/operators as well as passengers.

The U.S. Public Interest Research Group (US PIRG) and other public interest groups are advocating for federal policies that help local jurisdictions replace their school buses with BEBs for health benefits, long-term cost savings, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Some of their recommended actions at the federal and state levels include:

• Creating an incentive program and grants for transit agencies, school districts and bus contractors to help finance the up-front cost of BEBs and their charging infrastructure;
• Facilitating the installation of charging infrastructure through programs that help cover the costs;
• Encouraging electric utilities to design their rates to support BEBs;
• Designing financing programs for BEB purchases that leverage other sources of funding, such as the Volkswagen settlement money (estimated at $2 billion);
• Providing technical assistance and conducting research to facilitate the transition to BEBs.

Some members of Congress are considering introducing legislation that promotes some of these policies.

Federal, State, and Private Funding for Battery-Electric Powered Buses

Federal grants are being made to rehabilitate and purchase buses to support the transition of the nation’s transit fleet to the lowest polluting and most energy efficient transit vehicles. It remains to be seen, however, whether the federal government will release all the funds earmarked for local transit agencies this year. On April 5, , the Federal Transit Administration (FTA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation) announced that it had awarded $264 million in grants (from a combination of FY and funds) to 139 projects under its Buses and Bus Facilities Infrastructure Investment Program. On April 23, FTA announced that it had made another $84.45 million available of FY funds to states and direct recipients for the purchase or lease of low- or no-emissions vehicles and related equipment and facilities (under FTA’s “Low-No” Vehicle Program, which is part of the Bus and Bus Facilities infrastructure Investment Program). Low- or no-emissions vehicles include electric vehicles as well as vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells and hybrids of internal combustion engine and electric powered vehicles. FTA accepted applications until June 18 for these funds and is currently reviewing them for grant awards. On June 21, FTA announced that it was making another $366.3 million (FY funds) available for competitive grants for transit bus projects. Grant applications were accepted until August 1, but FTA has not stated when the awards will be made. School buses are not eligible to receive funds under FTA’s "Low-No" program.

At the state level, the California Air Resources Board has approved $208 million to incentivize school and transit districts to purchase low- and zero emissions bus and truck fleets. The California Energy Commission also has allocated $75 million for BEB purchases. In recent weeks, numerous other states have proposed using some of their Volkswagen settlement money to purchase BEBs and charging infrastructure.

Private sector funding is also beginning to materialize in support of BEB deployment. In July , Byd (with financial backing from Warren Buffett) formed a joint venture with investment company Generate Capital, to lease its BEBs to cities, schools and corporations in the United States. Generate Capital is investing $200 million in the program.

A closely related development that is attracting private sector attention is the increasing deployment of electric trucks, which use basically the same technologies and systems as BEBs. FedEx, DHL, and UPS have been purchasing electric trucks as well as the electric power recharging infrastructure they require. That infrastructure could potentially be used by BEBs if these two groups could work out sharing agreements.

Next Steps

In the wake of the Trump Administration's abdication of any federal role in fighting climate change, cities and states have ramped up their efforts. One of the areas where this trend can be seen is in the increasing interest in Battery-Powered Electric Buses. As the electricity generation sector transitions to renewable energy sources, cities and transit agencies are eager to become bigger customers by using their power to charge BEB fleets. While the United States cannot hope to catch up to China’s level of BEB deployment for the foreseeable future, significant progress can be made on reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the transportation sector by investing in Battery-Powered Electric Buses.

This fact sheet is available electronically (with hyperlinks and endnotes) here.

Author: Richard Nunno

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