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kristopher

(29,798 posts)
Wed Sep 21, 2016, 05:05 PM Sep 2016

"Chances are, you haven't heard of Proterra"

The 'Tesla of buses' just made a big move to eliminate diesel buses forever
Danielle Muoio

Sep. 12, 2016, 5:24 PM


Chances are, you haven't heard of Proterra.

The Silicon Valley-based start-up has one focus: to eliminate the need for a diesel bus, forever. It's something the company has been working quietly on since 2004, and has made moderate progress since. It sold its first three, all-electric buses in 2009, ramping up sales marginally throughout the years since.

Proterra started hitting its stride a bit in 2015 when it sold 62 buses across 12 different transit agencies. But with a nominal range of 146 miles, a mark below many electric cars, widespread adoption hasn't been feasible.

<snip>

The new bus body is made of a carbon fiber composite, allowing it to remain lightweight, but durable. Proterra, which makes its own batteries in its Silicon Valley office, improved energy storage and put most of the batteries "underneath the body of the bus so it helps us keep it very, very low center of gravity," Horton explained.

That innovation has resulted in a bus that fits 77 passengers and can pack 660 kWh of energy to drive 350 miles on a single charge. On a closed track, which doesn't mimick the difficulty of urban driving, a Proterra bus with just a 440 kWh battery achieved 600 miles on a single charge...

More at: http://www.businessinsider.com/proterra-unveils-electric-bus-with-350-mile-range-2016-9?r=UK&IR=T


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"Chances are, you haven't heard of Proterra" (Original Post) kristopher Sep 2016 OP
This message was self-deleted by its author kestrel91316 Sep 2016 #1

Response to kristopher (Original post)

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