The nation’s largest public bus system rolled out
its first all-electric articulated bus under a plan to
convert New York City’s transit agency to a zero-
emissions fleet by 2040.
The new vehicle was deployed on one of
Manhattan’s busiest crosstown routes, the 14th
Street busway. By March, the route will have 15
electric-articulated buses, which are 60-foot-
long vehicles connected in the middle with a
joint. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority
plans to spend $1.1 billion to modify depots
for electric operations and purchase about 500
electric buses for all five boroughs under its
2020-2024 Capital Plan.
The transit agency currently operates 10 electric
standard buses that are leased under a three-
year pilot program launched in 2018 to test
the technology. The vehicles are quieter than
conventional buses in addition to having no
tailpipe emissions.
The buses’ batteries are estimated to
operate for 50 to 90 miles, or half a day, on a
three-hour charge.