The city of Racine has hit the road with its fleet of new electric buses.
The nine Ryde Racine buses, which represent the largest electric fleet in the state, run on batteries as opposed to gas, a recent Fox6 Milwaukee news report said.
“We’re going to save $60,000 a year on diesel at least,” Transit Manager Trevor Jung told Fox6 in promoting the change.
“We’re saving the environment,” Gov. Tony Evers said, adding his approval. “We’re making people healthier just having this bus.”
The fleet is funded by state grants. With battery packs and buses being built in the U.S., they are the first-ever, purpose-built battery electric buses.
The buses are being marketed as a way to help the environment and provide a smoother, quieter experience for both drivers and riders. But Proterra Regional Sales Director-Midwest Ken Becker noted that the upgrades don’t end there.
“It’ll accelerate 1.5 times faster than a diesel bus,” he said. “It’ll climb hills that a diesel bus cannot climb. The battery is non-conductive, non-corrosive, so literally the body is designed around these battery packs.”
Evers was recently among those taking the first ride around Racine.
The move to electric transit comes as Wisconsin residents are feeling the pinch stemming from rising energy costs.
“We know that moving off of fossil fuels sooner will help lower costs for Wisconsinites,” State Rep. Greta Neubauer (D-Racine) told Fox6.
