The number of electric buses rolling through Washington communities will more than double in the months ahead as the Washington Department of Ecology invests $13.3 million to help local transit agencies buy 50 zero-emission, battery-powered electric buses.
Transit agencies in King, Snohomish, Pierce, Clark, Benton and Spokane counties will receive up to $300,000 per bus from Washington’s $112.7 million share of the federal Volkswagen settlement. The grants are intended to help cover the additional costs of purchasing an electric bus, compared to a conventional diesel bus. Transit agencies can also use some of the funding to pay for charging stations. Heavy-duty diesel engines in buses and trucks account for about a third of all diesel emissions in Washington. Replacing these 50 buses will eliminate 68,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, and cut nitrogen oxide emissions by 70 tons over the lifetime of the vehicles.
Visit Ecology’s website for more information.