The Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA), which serves some 450,000 residents in the northern Los Angeles metro region, says it has taken a step toward becoming the first 100% electric public transit fleet in the country, ordering up to 85 BYD electric buses over a five-year period.
BYD will deliver a variety of e-bus models, including a 40-foot low-floor transit bus, a 60-foot low-floor articulated bus and a 45-foot commuter coach, each with a range of more than 160 miles. BYD will build the e-buses at its facility in Lancaster, California.
AVTA is also installing a wireless charging system from Utah-based WAVE, which will extend the fleet’s range to be able to serve the agency’s longest rural routes.
AVTA expects to save more than $46 million over the life of the buses compared to legacy diesel vehicles – approximately $46,000 per bus per year.
“I’m pleased to chair a transit agency as forward-thinking as AVTA that has the political will to do something no other transit agency in the country has done yet – go all-electric,” said Marvin Christ, Chairman of the AVTA Board of Directors. “There are multiple benefits to electrifying our bus fleet, from creating jobs and eliminating harmful air pollutants, to reducing dependence on foreign oil.”
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