In Asheville, North Carolina, a significant investment in electric buses has resulted in a challenging situation for the city. In 2018, Asheville invested in five electric buses, costing at least $616,000 each. However, three of these buses are currently out of commission due to software and mechanical issues, including one that has had a broken door since July.
The buses were manufactured by Proterra, which filed for bankruptcy in August. As a result, the city has been unable to obtain the necessary parts for repairs. Maintenance costs for the electric buses have exceeded $250,000. The city also invested in chargers for the buses at $200,000 each and spends nearly $45,500 annually on electric costs for charging, plus an additional $118,000 every year to lease batteries.
The two remaining operational electric buses can only travel about 78 miles in winter before needing to be recharged for hours. Asheville’s interim transportation director, Jessica Morriss, and maintenance director, John McDaniel, have acknowledged the difficulties and the lessons learned from this experience.