You probably didn’t expect, but Proterra Electric Bus will be the first vehicle of this type to break 1000-mile range. The new bus is expected to come soon and it promises a lot.
If we consider that internal-combustion engines will be banned in next few decades, this model definitely can be considered as one of the pioneers, when it comes to large electric vehicles. Several manufacturers are currently developing various kinds of large vehicles, such as trucks and buses.
However, this model is pretty unique due to its magnificent range. Also, it will come with stupendous performances, at least twice better compared to the conventional diesel engines. In all other aspects, it will be pretty much the same as any other bus. This 40-foot bus will come with a high level of comfort and new architecture which will provide more convenience to all passengers.
Proterra New Dual Motor All-Electric Powertrain
For this occasion, the company designed completely new powertrain. This is pretty advanced system and it should provide some amazing results in various aspects, never seen before. It is a dual-electric motor system that comes with a huge 660-kWh battery, which is about to provide a max range of 1100 miles!
Moreover, it features simply amazing performances. Total output goes around 510 horsepower, which will provide some great accelerations. For example, 0 to 20-mph time will be around 4.5 seconds and around 15.5 seconds for a sprint from 20 to 50 miles per hour. Besides amazing performances, we are also about to see a great fuel economy. It should go 26 miles per gallon, which will make an absolute leader on the market. This result is even better than many hybrid cars.
Proterra Electric Bus charge
Last month, this electric bus went on a test and made some great records. It achieved 1102.2 miles with a single charge, which is an absolute record when it comes to all kinds of electric vehicles. A 660-kWh battery provided a such an amazing result.
For comparison, Tesla’s 100-kWh pack provides a max range of 325 miles. On the other side, Hyundai recently announced that its Electric City Bus is able to make around 180 miles with a 256-kWh battery. This is also much more than passenger cars. For example, this result is equivalent to 11 Chevy Bolt ranges.
However, time will show real numbers when Proterra Electric Bus come into service and start with a common-bus type of ride that includes low speeds, stop and go regime etc.
Proterra Electric Bus practical use
The Proterra Electric Bus is designed as a large 40-foot bus. However, we expect to see many variants of the base version. Moreover, this platform will surely be in use for other types of vehicles, such as garbage trucks, delivery trucks etc. This all sounds very promising, although there is one aspect of the new bus that is a little bit questionable.
Proterra Electric Bus charging
If we consider that the Proterra Electric Bus features a battery pack with a capacity of 660 kWh, it is clear that the process of recharging will last for hours with a classic charger. So, the company developed a special, high-voltage charging system that will provide pretty quick recharging. In this case, it is expected that full recharge will take about an hour, although there should be some even quicker modes, which are crucial for these types of service vehicles.
