Washington DC Circulator System Puts 14 Proterra EV Buses Into Service

Washington DC’s Circulator transportation system — providing door-to-door transit between important regional monuments, museums, and memorials — has now deployed 14 new all-electric Proterra Catalyst E2 buses.

The deployment makes the Washington DC Circulator System the operator of the largest all-electric bus fleet on the East Coast of the USA. Not exactly Shenzhen (which has over 16,000 electric buses in operation), but hey.

Given that the Washington DC Circulator System provides over 5 million trips a year to visitors and inhabitants of the region, and that such trips cost only $1 a piece, the new deployment should expose quite a few people to their first all-electric bus rides. Perhaps the quiet ride will stand out to those who do, and spur them to take a closer look at consumer electric vehicles?

Here’s more on the matter via a press release (courtesy of Green Car Congress): “Formed through a partnership between the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), and DC Surface Transit (DCST), the DC Circulator system services 6 distinct routes across Washington, DC and Rosslyn, VA.”

“Currently, the Circulator provides door-to-door transportation to more than 25 museums, monuments, and memorials along the National Mall…With 14 Catalyst E2 buses, the DC Circulator will displace more than 88,900 gallons of diesel per year, and eliminate more than 243,980 pounds of CO2 emissions annually. Over their 12-year lifetime, the 14 Proterra buses will result in fuel and maintenance cost savings of more than $6 million.”

In related news, see: San José International Airport Buys 10 All-Electric Catalyst E2 Transit Buses From Proterra.