Proterra, the provider of zero-emission commercial transit solutions, announced that its EcoRide BE35 battery-electric bus has become the first heavy-duty electric transit bus ever to pass the Federal Transit Administration’s Altoona bus testing.
The EcoRide BE35 is also the first zero-emissions full-size bus to pass Altoona and was proven to have both the highest fuel economy (22 mpg average) and lowest noise (57 dBA or 10 times lower) of any full-size passenger bus ever tested.
Testing simulates 12 years of vehicle life and ensures reliability and in-service performance of transit buses by providing an unbiased and accurate comparison of bus models.
While CNG buses are currently more common in the marketplace, the battery-electric option is truly zero-emissions, more fuel-efficient, quieter and can be powered by a wider range of energy sources.
Proterra is the only U.S.-based manufacturer of clean technology, 100 percent battery-electric heavy-duty transit buses. The company’s EcoRide BE35 battery-electric buses recharge in about 10 minutes, using Proterra’s TerraVolt energy storage system. Energy is provided by 54-72 kWh lithium titanate battery packs.
The 35-foot long buses are made of lightweight composite materials and are powered with state-of-the-art battery technology. The buses have zero emissions, run virtually silent and are more than 500 percent more fuel efficient than diesel buses. The company’s buses have been or soon will be in operation in the following cities: Austin, Texas; Burbank, Calif.; Columbia, S.C.; Fort Lewis, Wash.; Pomona, Calif.; San Antonio, Texas; Tallahassee, Fla.; Seneca, S.C. and Stockton, Calif.
The EcoRide BE-35 battery electric buses average up to 24 mpg (diesel equivalent) in service, a more than 600-percent improvement over a typical diesel bus. The lightweight, composite-body buses recharge in about 10 minutes, using Proterra’s TerraVolt energy storage system. Energy is provided by 54-72 kWh lithium titanate battery packs.
