San Francisco to have all-electric bus fleet by 2035

An all-electric bus fleet is coming to San Francisco by 2035. The commitment stems from an agreement between mayor Mark Farrell and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which operates Muni – the city’s public transit system. Muni manages a fleet of zero-emission electric trolley buses and a fleet of low- emission electric hybrid vehicles. The SFMTA is rolling out new electric buses with higher capacity battery systems that supply power for its vehicles along several hybrid routes.
May 21, 2018 Read time: 2 mins

An all-electric bus fleet is coming to San Francisco by 2035. The commitment stems from an agreement between mayor Mark Farrell and the 4802 San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which operates Muni – the city’s public transit system.

Muni manages a fleet of zero-emission electric trolley buses and a fleet of low- emission electric hybrid vehicles.

The SFMTA is rolling out new electric buses with higher capacity battery systems that supply power for its vehicles along several hybrid routes.

Additionally, the agency plans to advance its technology when manufacturers can prove electric buses can withstand heavy ridership and steep hills. It would also consider new facilities that can charge a large fleet and develop an infrastructure to power vehicles in service or on the street.

John Haley, SFMTA’s transit director says: “While the battery technology is emerging rapidly, it isn’t quite ready for primetime. Manufacturers aren’t yet producing the number of all-electric buses San Francisco and other urban areas would need, nor could we guarantee that the vehicles would work for the required 15 years with heavy ridership and challenging topography.”

The SFMTA intends to buy a limited number of zero-emission battery electric buses in 2019 and evaluate how they perform on crowded and hilly routes.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • UK project aims to develop zero-emission commercial van
    January 16, 2017
    The UK government has announced funding for a project that aims to develop a supply chain for the manufacture of hydrogen-enabled drivetrains for large vans and trucks. The funding, part of the Low Emission Freight and Logistics Trial, funded by the Department for Transport and the government’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, will enable the development of a zero-emission drivetrain, which will be incorporated into a 3.5T van. The 1,000kg payload vehicle will have an approximately 200-mile range, in urb
    Read More
  • Ride-hailing companies could face taxes in San Francisco
    October 9, 2018
    Ride-hailing companies could be taxed for starting their journeys in San Francisco following a bill signed by California governor Jerry Brown. The bill - AB 1184 - calls for a 3.25% tax on net rider fares for single-party trips, or those provided by an autonomous vehicle, as well as a 3.25% tax on shared rides. Additionally, the city or county would be able to set a lower tax rate for net rider fares for those provided by a lower emission vehicle. A report by the San Francisco Chronicle says the
    Read More
  • Kapsch to upgrade toll systems for two San Diego highways
    March 15, 2018
    The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) has selected Kapsch TrafficCom (Kapsch) to upgrade toll systems on the interstate 15 (I-15) Express Lanes and the State Route 125 toll road (South Bay Expressway). The project aims to provide drivers with more seamless journeys that feature modern technology and streamlined maintenance and operation activities. It is expected to be completed in the second half of 2019. Through the agreement, Kapsch will replace all in-lane equipment with a software support
    Read More
  • C/AV technology will be ‘life-altering revolution’
    July 20, 2018
    Preparing for the challenges - and promises - of connected and automated vehicles and other emerging transportation technologies does not necessarily mean investing in actual hardware. Matthew Smith identifies eight key points that US transportation authorities need to look at. Transportation technology is moving rapidly. With the advent of connected and automated vehicle (C/AV) technology, the nation is on the verge of experiencing a major transportation revolution: a life-altering revolution akin to th
    Read More

Highlighted Content