San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has purchased six 40-foot Proterra Catalyst E2 electric buses and three 60 kW Proterra plug-in chargers.
According to Proterra, the new battery-electric bus fleet will reduce Bay Area emissions, support SFO’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2021 and cut its bus operating costs.
SFO’s Five-Year Strategic Plan sets goals of carbon neutrality across airport-controlled operations by 2021 and the reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions by 50 percent from a 1990 baseline. Part of that plan includes the creation of a Clean Vehicle Policy to promote the adoption and deployment of low-emission vehicles by both airport departments and ground transportation providers.
The new battery-electric Proterra Catalyst buses will replace six diesel buses in its current operating fleet and will eliminate more than 23 million pounds of greenhouse-gas tailpipe emissions over the 12-year life of the vehicles. SFO expects to purchase additional battery-electric buses to replace its compressed natural gas vehicles.
“Earth Day serves as a call to action: an opportunity for us to reaffirm our commitment to the environment,” says Ivar C. Satero, airport director. “SFO is an airport industry leader in sustainability, and we have set big goals to achieve zero net energy use, zero waste and carbon neutrality. By deploying San Francisco’s first public battery-electric buses, we’re on the path to zero emissions in our ground transportation services, leading the way in our quest to be the world’s most sustainable airport.”
The new electric buses will integrate batteries that are designed and manufactured down the street from the airport at Proterra’s Silicon Valley headquarters in Burlingame, Calif. With 440 kWh of battery capacity on board, the buses will be part of SFO’s fleet that currently provides buses to shuttle passengers between the terminals, long-term parking garages and other airport locations along daily routes.
“San Francisco International Airport has long been a leader in sustainability and joins other forward-thinking airports around the country in transitioning ground fleets to 100 percent battery-electric buses,” says Proterra’s CEO, Ryan Popple. “We are proud to help one of our local airports offer superior service and meet its sustainability goals while also providing reduced vehicle maintenance costs and lower total cost of ownership.”