Electric buses for Hamilton? Likely, at some point
City officials say desire is there but cite funding and logistics as barriers
https://www.thespec.com/news-story/9820716-electric-buses-for-hamilton-likely-at-some-point/
There will be space for 100 electric buses to charge in Hamilton's future transit garage.
But just when these zero-tailpipe-emission additions will hit the road is uncertain as the city plots its transit future.
City officials say the technology is still evolving, Hamilton's escarpment presents challenges and so does hydro capacity.
"We're really in the infancy of that right now. We want to take a measured approach," said Coun. John-Paul Danko, a proponent of going electric.
During a budget presentation Friday, transit staff said they're exploring the possibility.
In 2013, the city committed to transitioning from diesel to natural gas. As it stands, 51 per cent of HSR's 267-bus fleet runs on low-emission natural gas.
Last year, the city kicked the tires of two 40-foot Proterra and New Flyer electric models.
The "advertised" overnight vehicle charge results in a range of 145 to 200 kilometres, said Jason VanderHeide, manager of planning and infrastructure.
But the city's Mountain-climbing routes are a big drain on batteries, noted Mark Selkirk, manager of fleet maintenance. "You lose 60 per cent of efficiency on the escarpment."
VanderHeide also noted a major piece of the electric bus puzzle will involve coordination with utility providers to ensure enough power to meet the added demand. "It's fair to say it's an incredibly complex conversation around electric buses."
Cost adds to that complexity. "I'd like to see us transition as quickly as possible," Danko said, "but that requires a funding commitment, and that's going to have to come from upper levels of government."
Electric buses run between $950,000 and $1.2 million depending on the model and battery capacity. That's compared to about $700,000 for natural gas counterparts, Selkirk noted.
Mayor Fred Eisenberger said Friday he wants to look at whether electric bus purchases can be included in the city's 10-year transit plan. "I have to have a conversation with our staff."
Eisenberger has already broached the subject of federal dollars to help the city electrify its fleet with Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna.
McKenna "indicated interest" in exploring funds to assist municipalities bridge the monetary gap between electric and conventional buses, he said.
But some Canadian cities are forging ahead with electric fleets. Edmonton, for instance, expects its first electric buses from Proterra in February. The plan is to have 40 electric buses by October with some hitting the road for regular service as early as summer alongside 900 diesel buses.
Ian Borsuk, a member of Environment Hamilton, said a move toward electric buses would be positive. But increasing ridership is also crucial, he added, noting the amount of emissions private vehicles produce.
"To really put it in a nutshell," Borsuk wrote in an email, "if we were to magically convert the entire HSR bus fleet to electric tomorrow — that would be a positive step in the right direction, but we should be focusing much more on ridership, which the HSR made clear is their focus already."
There's no explicit political direction in Hamilton to do so, but the shift to electric is anticipated with space allocated for charging 100 buses at the future transit garage on Wentworth Street North. The city expects $510 million (with municipal, provincial and federal contributions) in infrastructure funds to pay for the building and other transit projects in coming years.
Selkirk remembers when the city pulled overhead wires down on HSR trolleys in the 1990s. At that time, cost was the factor, he said. "It is a full circle," Selkirk added. "The battery-electric bus is a trolley bus with its energy stored on board."
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