California’s Yosemite National Park has ordered two Proterra Catalyst electric buses. The world-famous tourist destination will be the first US National Park to add zero-emission buses to its permanent shuttle fleet.

With more than five million visitors each year, Yosemite relies on its shuttle program to encourage park visitors to park once and use a bus to circulate among lodges, waterfalls and trailheads. The free shuttle service logs some 3.8 million boardings and 436,000 miles per year. In 2001, the park began replacing its diesel buses with diesel-electric hybrids.

The new Catalyst buses will begin service in late 2018 and will operate year-round, transporting up to 1,480 visitors per day through the park’s Yosemite Valley. They are expected to save approximately $150,500 on maintenance and operating costs, and eliminate 887,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, each year.

“Our mission has always been to preserve our nation’s natural and cultural heritage for future generations, and Proterra’s zero-emission vehicle technology will be indispensable as we continue to work toward this goal,” said Yosemite Acting Superintendent Chip Jenkins. “Since its establishment in 1890, airborne pollutants have steadily degraded Yosemite’s resources. Deploying Proterra’s battery-electric buses will help with this ongoing challenge and will greatly improve local air quality.”

Source: Proterra