Distributed Energy Resources  -  March 25, 2022

Antelope Valley Transit Authority Adds Electric Buses

Antelope Valley Transit Authority (ATVA) now has a 100% zero emission fleet with the addition of 24 MCI Coaches. 

The 87-vehicle fleet now consists of BYD electric buses, New Flyer’s Motor Coach Industries (MCI) coaches, and GreenPower microtransit vans. AVTA has installed Heliox, ABB, WAVE, and BYD chargers, and uses The Mobility House’s smart charging and energy management system, ChargePilot, to optimize charging and secure the lowest cost of electricity.

To help AVTA avoid unnecessary peaks in electricity costs, the Mobility House’s ChargePilot was deployed to manage 12 Dual Port Heliox Flex 180 kW (DC) chargers for the fleet’s newest addition of 24 MCI Coaches. ChargePilot adjusts the charging performance for each vehicle according to real-time travel schedules as well as the local utility’s time-of-use tariffs and demand charges.

ChargePilot helps AVTA collect data required for Low Carbon Fuel Standards (LCFS) credit monetization. AVTA is able to cover the cost of electric fueling and generates revenue of $0.15 per mile from LCFS credits from the state of California.

The Mobility House will also be able to integrate AVTA’s on-site solar into its smart charging system, reducing carbon emissions and electricity costs more.

“The Antelope Valley Transit Authority, together with the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale and Los Angeles County, has shown California and the world how local growth can coexist with clean transportation, low-carbon energy, and new local job opportunities,” said CARB Chair Liane Randolph in a statement. “Their accomplishment underscores the fact that committed and visionary communities are key to our clean air and climate solutions as well as a strong California economy.”

ATVA’s achievement comes 18 years ahead of schedule for the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) statewide regulation, which requires all public transit fleets to become emissions-free by 2040.

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