Metro today announced a competitive opportunity to provide up to 10 new battery-electric buses as part of its Battery-Electric Bus Test and Evaluation Program. The purchase is a first step, supporting the goal set by Metro’s Board of Directors to transition to a zero-emission bus fleet no later than 2045.
Metro plans to test the 10 buses with two 60-foot battery-electric buses purchased through a separate Federal Transit Administration Low- or No-Emission Program Grant. The buses will be put through real-world operating conditions to help inform Metro’s future zero-emission bus purchases and infrastructure needs.
The battery-electric buses will operate out of Metro’s Shepherd Parkway Bus Division located in an Opportunity Zone encompassing low-income and economically distressed communities, and will serve routes across the District, Maryland and Virginia.
Investing in a zero-emission bus fleet will contribute significant environmental and health benefits to the region by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving regional air quality. Zero-emission buses, including battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell buses, produce no tailpipe emissions while providing customers with a clean, quiet, and more comfortable ride. – Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld
