Council hears details of HRT electric‑bus pilot, cost and charging concerns

Hampton Roads Transit staff told the council they are testing electric buses in a limited pilot and will use real‑world operating data before deciding whether to scale purchases.

"So right now, we have a pilot program of 6 buses that we bought for electric buses and the pilot's gonna run for a year," Ray Amoruso said, adding the purpose is to verify manufacturers’ claims about range and performance under heavy loads and heat/humidity conditions. He noted the pilot uses the system’s longest route (a 24‑mile one‑way run) to stress test batteries and charging needs.

Amoruso said electric buses produce zero tailpipe emissions but that overall emissions depend on how electricity is generated. He also detailed potential infrastructure solutions: opportunity charging stations along long routes or satellite facilities built with charging capacity. Council members asked about auxiliary batteries and whether buses could be topped up en route; Amoruso said HRT is evaluating opportunity charging and the agency will select equipment once the pilot yields performance data.

On cost, Amoruso said the Proterra buses used in the pilot were "roughly... $990,000" all‑in with farebox and technology, while a typical diesel bus is about $550,000. HRT obtained the electric buses through discretionary grants including Volkswagen settlement funds and Federal Transit Administration technology grants.

The council asked follow‑up questions but took no formal action. HRT said further procurement decisions will be based on pilot results and funding availability.