The Washington DC Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has recently ordered ten 40-foot electric buses, five each from Nova Bus and New Flyer, as part of its plan to decarbonize its bus fleets by 2042. The purchase of these electric buses is part of WMATA's tightened plan to transition off fossil fuel buses three years earlier than originally planned.
The agency's plan includes a 12-bus pilot program, which will consist of the ten 40-foot electric buses and two 60-foot articulated electric buses. WMATA's first electric bus garage, located at Northern, is expected to open in 2027 to accommodate the new buses.
WMATA has committed to end purchases of diesel buses this year and phase out purchases of non-zero-emission buses by 2030. To achieve this, five of nine Metro garages should be ready for zero-emission buses by 2031, with the remaining garages ready by 2041.
While the public transport provider has initially opted for battery-electric buses, it says it will continue to evaluate hydrogen fuel cell technology as it evolves. The recent order of new electric buses is a significant step towards WMATA's goal of fully decarbonizing its bus fleets by 2042.
The agency projects the total cost of transitioning its bus fleet to zero-emission vehicles at $7.4 billion through 2055. This includes capital costs for vehicles and facilities, and other costs related to maintenance, training and tire replacement. However, it expects a net savings of $175 million in vehicle energy costs by moving away from fossil fuels.
Sources: smartcitiesdive, wmata