Electric Buses Slowly Gain Momentum in U.S. Transit Systems

Los Angeles, Seattle, and New York have all made commitments to purchase battery-electric buses (BEBs) in the coming years. These completely electric vehicles are being manufactured by a number of suppliers including: Proterra, Volkswagen, Volvo and Hyundai. "As these companies scale up, it creates more and more of an actual industry, a supply chain of parts and expertise that aspiring new companies can draw on. With scale and learning come falling costs," David Roberts writes for Vox.

In addition to providing the possibility of curbing emissions, BEBs get air pollution out of the densest parts of cities. "For one thing, the world is rapidly urbanizing and particulate pollution — especially from diesel, the fuel of choice for older buses — is increasingly seen as a health crisis," writes Roberts. Without the large engines required in diesel buses, BEBs can ride lower to the ground, electric motors also provide a quieter ride.