Alternative Fuel Choices AllElectric Buses Staff Presentation to

Alternative Fuel Choices All-Electric Buses Staff Presentation to Transit Advisory Committee May 1, 2014

Electric Buses – Emerging Technology • BYD Bus of China • Proterra Bus of South Carolina • E-bus of Downey, CA

Electric Buses – BYD • LAX Shuttle Trial • University Shuttle Trial • California Demo • Long Beach Transit Testing

All-Electric Buses Who are the major players? • Two major players with different technologies: • BYD (Build Your Dreams) Chinese Company with So. Cal plant • Proterra Inc. of South Carolina, originally from Denver, CO How do BYD All Electric Buses Work? • Plug-In charging, 1. 5 to 5 hours depending on level of infrastructure (in bus yard most likely) • Proprietary Iron- Phosphate battery, meets roughly 80% of urban transit needs with typical range of 155+ miles How do Proterra All Electric Buses Work? • Eco. Ride™ BE 35 battery electric bus • Proprietary composite body reduces weight approximately 2040% over a conventional bus, is crash and element resistant and designed for the battery-electric drive technology. • Terra-Volt charging system can be charged in under 10 minutes

BYD Electric Buses Charging • Require significant investment at transit yard for plug in charging, from 1. 5 to 5 hours depending on voltage • Range on full charge of 155 miles, adequate for PT needs • No infrastructure needed at transit centers • Long life battery projected to have 80% life remaining at 12 year mark, and promoted as non-toxic • Possible “in-ground” quicker charging planned that could be deployed at transit centers Issues – Status of Availability and Market Share • Not in normal revenue service anywhere in USA • Issues with durability arose during recent Altoona testing • Limited but successful trials have been done in USA • New plant in So. Cal will help towards “Buy America” laws • Cutting edge technology – foreign manufacturer - unproven

Proterra All Electric • More established, American company, started in Denver in 1990 s, manufacturing famous 16 th Street Mall shuttles • Utilizes proprietary “fast fill” charging stations designed to work at transit centers, where buses spend a few minutes every cycle, charges in minutes • Powered by UQM Power. Phase® 150 permanent magnet (PM) motor. The drive motor is coupled to a three-speed transmission designed to meet the requirements of Proterra’s heavy-duty transit applications.

Benefits of Mature All-Electric Buses Projected benefits of all electric buses • Zero emissions (not counting electricity generation) • Fuel savings, estimated cost ~$. 21 per mile, versus diesel around $1 -1. 33 per mile • Quiet operation • Eco-friendly boost to marketing of transit system Problems • Dramatically Increased Purchase Costs – 20% local match will be far more and likely beyond capabilities • Design still being perfected, very little real world experiences • Petaluma would be invested far beyond larger transit agencies and would suffer “bleeding edge technology” problems • Maintenance staff need to train on new technology • Lack of professional and technical staff makes choice poor

All Electric Thoughts A “game changing” technology for transit? • Most likely a common technology for transit systems in 20+ years - once larger agencies adopt and evolve the technology • Appropriate for daring Large Agencies with Resources and ability to obtain special R&D Federal Grants • Limited mass production (Proterra) and deployment • Large change in infrastructure – similar to CNG conversion • Good eventual fit for Petaluma Transit operating environment • Short, repetitive, “loop” routes, with short periods of “dwell time” at central transfer point that could host expensive recharging equipment, rather than infrastructure in yard • Will require protection of, and likely expansion of, the Eastside Transit Center, and perhaps Copeland Transit Mall • Little shop modification – but much mechanic training • Huge savings in fuel costs – stretches limited operating $$

All Electric Bus Websites • http: //www. byd. com/na/auto/index. html • http: //www. proterra. com/index. php • http: //ebus. com/index. php? option=com_content&view=articl e&id=6&Itemid=7