Electric transit buses are finding their way onto U.S. streets at an alarming pace, with some states seeing triple-digit growth in the technology in just the last year.
A new report by CALSTART, found that the number of zero-emission buses (ZEB) funded or on order in the U.S. has grown 66 percent since 2021, totaling some 5,480 full-size buses.
There were about 72,700 full-size buses in operation in the U.S. in 2019, the most recent data year available, according to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).
Much of the growth in e-buses has been driven by federal incentives. The movement had a sharp surge following the federal infrastructure package, as well as by state efforts — particularly those in California to phase out fossil fuel-burning buses — to give agencies the incentives to go forward with electrification.
California remains the centerpiece of the electric bus market, with nearly 2,000 of the vehicles in use by transit agencies. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has more than 560 battery-electric buses in operation.
And the Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA) in southern California has a fully electric fleet, which cost about 35 cents a mile to operate.
