United States airports are investing in electric buses to help passengers make connections from airport terminals to rental cars and parking lots. Electric buses – whether they be trolleys or battery electric – emit less air pollution, are quieter and less odorous.

Why electric buses and airports work

San Jose California International Airport Proterra Battery Electric Bus
Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying

Battery electric buses are becoming a popular amenity for airports to offer. According to electric bus manufacturer Proterra CEO Ryan Popple in a statement,

"Airports are an ideal use case for electric vehicle technology because of their predictable circulator routes and potential for shared charging infrastructure with other service vehicles in the fleet.”

Indeed, most medium and large airports use buses to transfer passengers and their luggage between airport terminals and parking lots. Other airport vehicles like animal patrol can also easily be electrified.

For Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), the purchase is “...implementing sustainable practices that are cost-effective and that create a better experience for our employees and visitors,” as noted by Chief Operating Officer Jack Christine. As Canary Media reported on October 28, 2022, Chief Executive Officer Haley Gentry felt;

“Our largest effort to reduce emissions is to electrify our entire shuttle bus fleet.”

The plan is to replace the sixty shuttle buses at the sixth busiest US airport with fifty electric buses. Although electric buses cost more upfront, they do not require expensive, polluting fossil fuels, which saves money over the lifespan of the buses.

Finally, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gave no less than $27 million in grants to help purchase electric buses. As Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told Canary Media,

Electrifying airports is an important part of reaching net-zero emissions and addressing our climate crisis. This funding moves us closer to this goal while helping get passengers and their luggage where they need to go.

Proterra and battery electric buses

Proterra – a US-based battery electric bus manufacturer – has partnered with:

  • Charlotte Douglas International Airport
  • Detroit Metropolitan Airport
  • Dulles International Airport
  • John F. Kennedy International Airport
  • John Wayne Airport, Orange County, California
  • LaGuardia Airport
  • Newark International Airport
  • Ontario International Airport, California
  • Raleigh-Durham Airport
  • Sacramento County Airport System
  • San Diego International Airport
  • San Francisco International Airport
  • San Jose International Airport

San Jose International Airport has ten battery electric buses configured for airport operations with a third door, so passengers can embark and disembark on each side. There is also a luggage rack and sideways seating to use interior space more efficiently for airport travelers. Each bus also has a charger that fully charges in three hours.

Proterra is willing to work with airports on obtaining Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants. Proterra claims to be highly successful with this, claiming over $7.5 million of the $16 million ZEV grant funds awarded to airports from 2015 through 2019. The grants can cover up to 90% of the cost of the buses and supporting infrastructure such as chargers.

Another reason for Proterra’s success is its track record in building battery electric buses. Airports want reliable and customer-friendly buses and do not have to face early adopter problems that can bring negative attention to the airport.

Have you ridden a battery electric bus? Please share your experience in the comments.

Sources: Canary Media, Proterra