Catalina Island Is Deploying Its First All-Electric Bus Fleet

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The tourism hotspot of Catalina Island in California will soon be home to its first all-electric bus fleet following the recent closing of a deal between the Catalina Island Company and BYD, which will see 3 BYD C6 electric buses deployed as tourist shuttles, according to an email sent to CleanTechnica.

Owing to the need to occasionally travel up steep grades, and the improved comfort of the seating arrangements, the all-electric 23-foot BYD C6 Motor Coach was chosen over other zero-emissions options.

The BYD C6 possesses a real-world range of around 125 miles per full-charge, which is more than enough to meet the transportation needs on the relatively small island.

Commenting on the news, BYD Senior Vice President in the US, Macy Neshati, stated: “BYD is proud to partner with the Catalina Island Company. More than a million people visit Catalina each year, and swapping out diesel buses with battery-electric vehicles will dramatically lessen their footprint. It’s a beautiful public treasure and this decision reflects care and stewardship that we should celebrate.”

The Vice President of Tours and Activities for the Catalina Island Company, Andrew Welham, commented as well: “Catalina Island Company has a long and rich history of seeking to protect the island’s natural resources. The new electric buses reflect an exciting next step in our ongoing sustainability efforts. They will enable us to share the beauty of the island with visitors and, at the same time, preserve its resources.”

As a bit of further explanation here, while its nature as an island means that local air pollution isn’t so much a problem on Catalina Island, there are still efforts in play to limit the use of private auto use, diesel buses, etc., which is mostly what seems to have motivated the new deal with BYD.


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James Ayre

James Ayre's background is predominantly in geopolitics and history, but he has an obsessive interest in pretty much everything. After an early life spent in the Imperial Free City of Dortmund, James followed the river Ruhr to Cofbuokheim, where he attended the University of Astnide. And where he also briefly considered entering the coal mining business. He currently writes for a living, on a broad variety of subjects, ranging from science, to politics, to military history, to renewable energy.

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