Electric cars have been all the rage recently, turning heads and making headlines, but they’re not the only modern vehicles making their way to the streets. Electric buses have hit the roads as well, and are proving they can pave the way to a better future in public transportation.
Image via phys.org.
Proterra, for example, has now set a record for the most miles ever traveled by an electric bus in a day. As part of a test last month, one of Proterra’s plug-in buses traveled 700 miles in 24 hours driving at an average of 29 mph with the HVAC system running, and was charged periodically using Proterra’s fast-charging stations. The route taken was designed to simulate both urban commuter and central business-district routes and drive cycles.
According to Proterra, the bus averaged 27 MPGe, claiming that is six times that of a conventional diesel bus, and seven times that of a compressed-natural gas bus.
Proterra’s electric buses are currently operating in San Antonio, TX; Worcester, MA; Reno, NV; Tallahassee, FL; and Pomona and Stockton, CA. There are also plans for additional buses to enter service in Nashville, TN and Louisville, KY.
Story via Discovery.
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