EV charging network ChargePoint and San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which oversees all ground transportation in the US city, have announced an agreement for the deployment of high-powered charging infrastructure to support the agency’s transition to battery-electric buses.
ChargePoint’s Express Plus charging architecture will be installed as part of the revitalisation of the Woods Bus Yard and will fuel the first full battery-electric buses operating in San Francisco in 2020.
Electrification of the Woods Bus Yard is expected to reach completion next autumn and will support nine battery-electric buses that are set to enter service during the same timeframe.
The deployment of charging infrastructure is part of a broader upgrade to the SFMTA Woods Bus Yard, which also includes other facility enhancements and training.
The project includes nine ChargePoint Express Plus DC charging solutions with power provided by nine ChargePoint Power Blocks, enabling charging output of more than 150kW per bus.
ChargePoint will also provide a suite of software solutions to help improve efficiency and lower ongoing electricity costs. These include power and energy management tools, as well as a dashboard that provides real-time status and other information to ensure maximum uptime.
ChargePoint will also oversee the installation and commissioning of the site, assisting with training of SFMTA employees, and providing ongoing service and maintenance support.
“The electrification of the Woods Bus Yard in San Francisco will stand as a benchmark around the country, creating a blueprint for the increasing number of transit agencies exploring the future of their fleets,” said Michael Hughes, chief commercial and revenue officer, ChargePoint. “ChargePoint is eager to support SFMTA’s efforts to build a foundation that will pave the way to the transformation of their entire 800-plus bus fleet by 2035.”
The electrification of buses is forecast to be one of the most aggressive in the coming years, with experts anticipating that such vehicles will make up about half of all those in service in the USA by 2029 and nearly 70% of all buses in operation by 2040.
