Battery electric buses
- Strategy:
- Mitigation
- Type of Intervention:
- Grey Infrastructure
Photo credit: Eric Wheeler, Metro Transit https://www.flickr.com/photos/metrotransitmn/17574278421
Battery electric buses (BEBs) can reduce municipal transit fleet-related GHG emissions, compared to internal combustion engine buses.
A BEB is an electrically powered bus that operates using energy stored in on-board batteries and is recharged from an external power source.
Note: Electric motors have zero emissions when in operation. However, there can still be emissions associated with charging BEBs depending on the power sources in the electrical grid.
[1] International Finance Corporation (IFC). World Bank, "Bumps in the Road: Challenges to E-bus Implementation." IFC ELECTRIC VEHICLES 101. Jan. 2020, https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/922571587360527793/pdf/Bumps-in-the-Road-Challenges-to-E-bus-Implementation.pdf
[2] D. Postey. "Here's when Regina could have electric buses as part of its transit fleet." CTV NEWS REGINA.https://regina.ctvnews.ca/here-s-when-regina-could-have-electric-buses-as-part-of-its-transit-fleet-1.6740383 ; D-E. Dubé. "OC Transpo’s work to change diesel bus fleet to battery-electric could cost city nearly $1 billion." CITYNEWS Everywhere. https://ottawa.citynews.ca/2021/06/12/oc-transpos-work-to-change-diesel-bus-fleet-to-battery-electric-could-cost-city-nearly-1-billion-3869477/
[3] SASKATOON Transit. "Battery-Electric Buses." SASKATOON Transit. https://transit.saskatoon.ca/about-us/projects/battery-electric-buses; L. A-W. Ellingsen et al, "Life cycle assessment of battery electric buses." Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 2022, Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2022.103498
[4] T. McGrath et al, "UK battery electric bus operation: Examining battery degradation, carbon emissions and cost." Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 2022, Doi: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1361920922002012
[5] Halifax Regional Municipality. "Zero Emission Bus Project: Investing in greener public transit infrastructure in Halifax." Halifax Transit.https://www.halifax.ca/transportation/halifax-transit/zero-emission-bus-project