On December 14, I took a test ride in a Proterra electric bus being demonstrated by the Arlington Transit System (ART).
The Proterra bus was the first of four buses being tested to assess the efficiency of Zero Emission Buses on transit routes, battery life and range, and customer and operator feedback. In addition to the bus from Proterra, ART is also testing buses manufactured by Gillig, BYD, and New Flyer. To solicit feedback on the Proterra bus from the public, ART provided free rides on five different routes between December 7 and 14. The process is part of Arlington’s commitment to provide environmentally friendly alternatives to driving alone and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
As expected from an electric vehicle, the Proterra bus demonstrated smooth, quick acceleration, including on hills.
As expected from an electric vehicle, the Proterra bus demonstrated smooth, quick acceleration, including on hills. Inside, the bus was modern and spacious. One area for improvement was the fan for the heating system, which was very loud. The noise overwhelmed the quiet experience from an electric vehicle until the driver turned off the fan. On a cold December afternoon with temperatures in the 30s, the heating system also seemed to have trouble keeping the cabin warm. There were also some loud rattles from the front of the bus when driving over bumps in the road. The driver thought that the operator controls were not well located, but without personal experience, it was hard to tell whether this was poor design or just a different system requiring more experience to get used to it.
Electric buses are a big improvement over buses that operate on fossil fuels. They are extremely quiet, cutting down significantly on street noise. And, of course, they emit no pollution—providing a big improvement in air quality in urban areas, not to mention reducing CO2 emissions.
Overall, electric buses are a big improvement over buses that operate on fossil fuels. They are extremely quiet, cutting down significantly on street noise. And, of course, they emit no pollution—providing a big improvement in air quality in urban areas, not to mention reducing CO2 emissions. Proterra advertises that their buses can cut 230,000 pounds of greenhouse gases per bus per year, relative to a diesel bus.
Electrifying bus systems will be an important element of achieving a zero-carbon economy with electric machines powered by clean, non-carbon energy sources. Transportation currently accounts for 27 percent of U.S. emissions.
Electrifying bus systems will be an important element of achieving a zero-carbon economy with electric machines powered by clean, non-carbon energy sources. Transportation currently accounts for 27 percent of U.S. emissions, according to the EPA. Most of that comes from personal vehicles, but heavy-duty vehicles like buses and trucks make up nearly a quarter of transportation emissions. The transition to electric buses—both transit and school buses—will be significantly accelerated by funding in both the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
The Proterra ZX5 bus can be equipped with a battery pack with capacity of 492 to 738 kWhs, providing range of 240 to 340 miles–more than enough of a full day of operating.
The Proterra bus in the test was the ZX5, a 40-foot model. It can be equipped with a battery pack with capacity of 492 to 738 kWhs, providing range of 240 to 340 miles. For the Route 77 I traveled on, that range should be more than enough of a full day of operating with about a dozen round trips of about 12 miles—with charging overnight.
In addition to reducing noise and pollution, electric buses, like electric cars, also offer significant reductions in maintenance and operating costs.
In addition to reducing noise and pollution, electric buses, like electric cars, also offer significant reductions in maintenance and operating costs. Based on its experience with 130 previous customers, Proterra advertises operating cost savings of up to $433,000 per bus over 12 years, relative to a diesel bus. The Proterra bus has a composite body that is lighter than a traditional steel body and frame—also reducing corrosion—and its battery packs are located below the floor of the vehicle, providing a low center of gravity. Proterra is an American company, with headquarters in Burlington, California, and manufacturing facilities in both California and Greenville, South Carolina.
The electrification of the buses operating in Arlington and the entire Washington, DC, metropolitan area can’t come soon enough for the reductions in street noise and pollution that this transition will provide.
The electrification of the buses operating in Arlington and the entire Washington, DC, metropolitan area can’t come soon enough for the reductions in street noise and pollution that this transition will provide.