#Energy

#SP3637

Electrifying Bus Fleets in Charlotte, NC – (Pilot Program)

https://charlottenc.gov/newsroom/cityhighlights/Pages/Electric-Bus-Pilot.aspx

1. Public-private partnership between Duke Energy and Charlottes Area Transit System(CATS) will pilot a program to utilize 18 battery operated bus vehicles in the city and surrounding areas. Program to begin in early 2022 and span over 12-18 months
2. Pilot program is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies American Cities Climate Challenge, and FTA(Federal Transit Administration) and CATS Capital Investment Program will fund the pilot program.
3. Some challenges as CATS collects and assesses the data are:
   1. high upfront cost
   2. performance of the busses for long and frequent routes
   3. finding/testing manufacturers that best suite city’s weather, topography and needs

Stakeholders

1. Charlottes Area Transit System(CATS)
2. Duke Energy – subsidiary of eTransEnergy
3. Residents of Charlotte, NC and surrounding areas
4. Federal Transit Administration(FTA)

Three steps to deploy the technology (assuming funding is in place)

1. Work with manufacturers that are interested in participating in the program and bus selection
2. Identify charging needs and potential charging stations and associated infrastructure to support the stations, as buses will draw more energy than the electric cars
3. Identify bus routes and areas that the program will serve based on above