Letter: More testing needed before electric buses viable

By Letter to the Editor on September 17, 2024.

Dear editor,

Electric buses face significant challenges in Alberta’s harsh climate, particularly in cities like Edmonton. The extreme cold temperatures prevalent during Edmonton’s long winters can drastically reduce battery efficiency and range.

For instance, cold weather can decrease battery performance by up to 50 per cent, making it difficult for electric buses to maintain reliable service throughout the day. The need for constant heating within the buses further depletes battery power, leading to more frequent charging and reduced operational hours.

Edmonton’s initial trials with electric buses have highlighted these issues. In some cases, the buses struggled to complete their routes on a single charge during winter months, necessitating additional infrastructure for frequent recharging.

That city has been working on developing the necessary infrastructure, including fast-charging stations, but these are currently limited and not widespread enough to support a large fleet. Additionally, the costs associated with retrofitting existing facilities and creating new charging stations are significant, posing financial challenges for the city.

Despite these hurdles, Edmonton continues to explore electric bus options as part of its commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The city is actively researching and testing different technologies and strategies to improve the performance and feasibility of electric buses in cold climates, such as improved battery insulation and more efficient heating systems.

However, in my opinion, more extensive testing is needed before making a significant investment.

Ensuring these buses can reliably operate in extreme weather conditions is crucial to avoiding costly setbacks, and to guarantee a smooth transition to a more sustainable public transit system.

Gerald Paul

Medicine Hat

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