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DC Circulator Electric Bus Fleet with Grid-Resilient Infrastructure

Solution Overview

The District of Columbia Department of Transportation operates the DC Circulator bus line with six routes serving Washington, D.C., and Rosslyn, Virginia.[4] The District will continue to electrify the DC Circulator fleet and build out infrastructure to keep them running in the event of a grid failure.[8] DDOT has committed to a fully electric DC Circulator bus fleet by 2030, 15 years earlier than the 2045 deadline imposed by the DC Clean Energy Omnibus Amendment Act of 2018 and the Clean Energy DC Plan.[2]

Technical Components

In the spring of 2018, the D.C. Department of Transportation took delivery of 14 American-made Proterra battery electric buses for the DC Circulator fleet, making it one of the largest electric bus fleets in the country.[5] The new Proterra E2 Catalyst Electric Buses are manufactured in the United States and run on 100 percent battery electric propulsion.[1] The Proterra electric buses are powered by 4 large battery packs under the floor and after charging overnight, the buses can operate for a full 10-hour shift.[5] The South Capitol Street facility was designed to use a solar photovoltaic (PV) canopy and a battery to provide electricity to the chargers.[4] GPTech examined different options for the solar PV canopy and bus charging system, including battery storage and standalone microgrid capabilities.[4] The DC Circulator fleet consists of electric, clean diesel, and hybrid (diesel and electric) buses.[4]

Implementation Details

The District of Columbia Department of Transportation's DC Circulator transit program in April 2018 placed 14 Proterra Battery Electric Buses into service as part of a two-year pilot.[7] The new electric DC Circulator buses officially hit the streets on May 1, 2018.[1] This initiative was supported by Proterra, Pepco, and the District Department of Transportation.[1] The pilot proved to be a crash course in the challenges of building and operating BEB infrastructure and chargers.[7] DDOT planned to purchase an additional 18 electric buses in the coming fiscal year after 2018, with a long-term goal to electrify the entire DC Circulator fleet.[5] The DC Circulator received about $10 million for bus electrification in 2022.[6] City Administrator Kevin Donahue stated that the DC Circulator cuts were necessary to pay for $100 million in costs related to 'the need for electrification.'[2] Mayor Bowser's proposal to cut funding for WP-AM, EM-LP, and RS-DP lines was driven by the need to pay for new electric buses and charging facilities.[2] The facility was designed to charge 46 buses, an increase over the current 14 charging stations.[4]

Benefits and Impacts

Over their 12-year lifetime, the 14 Proterra buses will reduce fuel and maintenance costs by more than $6 million.[1] With the 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.[1] The DC Circulator electric bus fleet displaces nearly 89,000 gallons of diesel per year and reduces CO2 emissions by a quarter million pounds.[5] The battery-electric vehicles will bring clean, quiet, zero-emission transportation to more than 4.8 million annual riders and the Circulator's 189 drivers across all six distinct Circulator routes.[1] The D.C. Circulator buses transport more than 4.8 million passengers each year and travel six routes around D.C. and into Virginia, stopping at popular monuments, museums, attractions and transportation hubs along the way.[5]

Climate Adaptation Relevance

The infrastructure buildout includes capabilities to keep electric buses running in the event of a grid failure, addressing climate-related disruptions to energy systems.[8] The solar photovoltaic canopy and battery storage system examined by GPTech provides standalone microgrid capabilities that enhance operational resilience during extreme weather events that could compromise grid reliability.[4]

Business Analysis

The District should continue to support WMATA's transition to zero-emission buses and work to fully electrify the DC Circulator fleet on an accelerated timeline.[3] As of 2021, the adoption of electric MHDVs in the District was in its infancy, with only a handful of electric trucks and buses in operation, primarily in demonstration projects, though the District's own fleet included a small number of electric buses operated by the DC Circulator.[3] The financial model demonstrates significant operational savings, with the 14 Proterra buses reducing fuel and maintenance costs by more than $6 million over their 12-year lifetime.[1] The DC Circulator received approximately $10 million for bus electrification in 2022, supporting the accelerated transition timeline.[6] The commitment to full fleet electrification by 2030 positions the program 15 years ahead of the 2045 deadline imposed by the DC Clean Energy Omnibus Amendment Act of 2018 and the Clean Energy DC Plan.[2]

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