Whether they’ve been introduced as part of public transit, school transportation, or charter buses, electric buses are popping up all over the country, but you’re not likely to find a bus taking up your spot at the nearby electric car
charging station any time soon. Much like electric trucks or other types of commercial vehicles
, buses require high-powered charging infrastructure that allows them to charge quickly and operate smoothly. For the most part, because of their size, daily mileage needs, and battery capacity, fleets of electric buses will have their own customized charging stations.
In Chicago in 2021, the Chicago Transit Authority introduced a fleet of electric buses with five quick-charging stations equipped to meet the route requirements of the new vehicles. The typical bus in Chicago travels over 100 miles per day, and so they need to be charged often and quickly in order to keep routes running on time.
A single full charge at one of these specialized charging stations can provide a bus with 75-120 miles of power.
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