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Baltimore Gas and Electric and Proterra deploy nation’s first electric shuttle buses at a utility campus

Proterra, the leading innovator in heavy-duty electric transportation, announced that Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation, the nation’s leading competitive energy provider, will deploy two new 40′ Proterra Catalyst E2 vehicles to shuttle employees between BGE’s headquarters in downtown Baltimore and its Spring Gardens campus in south Baltimore. The deployment reflects BGE’s leadership in fleet electrification as part of a broader grid modernization strategy and comes on the heels of the State of Maryland’s commitment to uphold the Paris Climate Accord.
Already, Maryland is on track to meet its goal of reducing its emissions by 25 percent by 2020, and these two new electric shuttles will displace more than 11,000 gallons of diesel and eliminate more than 480,000 pounds of greenhouse gas (CO2e) emissions annually. As Maryland’s largest utility, BGE’s deployment sets the utility apart as a pioneer, advancing Maryland’s transition to electric transportation and grid innovation.

“As BGE looks at innovative ways to support our customers’ growing interest in electric vehicles, we must be able to support not only our residential customers, but also our commercial and industrial customers,“ said Baltimore Gas and Electric CEO, Calvin Butler. “This is why we are thrilled to be the first utility to deploy heavy-duty electric shuttle buses and interoperable charging infrastructure which will not only provide an efficient way to get our employees from one location to another, but will also serve as active research lab that will help us plan for and build out the infrastructure necessary to support other fleets across our service area. We look forward to partnering with Proterra, as we build a market that supports our electrification and grid modernization goals.”

The procurement was funded in part by a $20K voucher per bus provided by the Maryland Freedom Fleet Voucher Program. These are the first electric buses to receive this voucher from the State of Maryland. Now, with access to Proterra battery-electric buses, BGE employees will be able to enjoy the combined benefits of zero-emission transit technology, including improved local air quality and a modern, quiet rider experience.

Designed for efficiency and manufactured for durability, Proterra’s 40′ Catalyst E2 series achieves 22 MPGe, while conventional diesel buses average 3.86 MPG. These buses will utilize Combined Charging System (CCS) plug-in DC fast chargers, enabling interoperability with multiple vehicle types, including passenger cars and trucks to utilize the same charging equipment and ultimately lower infrastructure costs for all electric vehicles.

This heavy-duty electric vehicle shuttle program will inform future Baltimore Gas and Electric decisions on EV fleet integration, interoperable charging infrastructure and EV rate design, ultimately supporting a statewide electrification strategy. Currently, BGE offers its electric vehicle customers a reduced electric rate during off-peak hours to save EV drivers more money on their monthly electricity bill.

“Utility support of innovative electric vehicle programs and grid transformation is critical as more consumers and transit providers opt for EVs, presenting both system wide opportunities and challenges along the way,” said Proterra CEO Ryan Popple. “We’re grateful to partner with BGE, a utility that is thinking big about the future of electrification, and supporting BGE through this technological transition as well as optimizing around an interconnected, distributed energy future.”

 

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