Metro Transit has added battery electric buses to the MetroBus fleet. The newest additions include 14 sixty-foot articulated buses providing service on #70 Grand in the City of St. Louis from our partners at New Flyer of America, Inc., and 10 40-foot buses from our partners at GILLIG, which will operate on various MetroBus routes in the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County.
These electric buses are an important evolution for Metro Transit, ensuring we fulfill our commitment to provide economically and environmentally sustainable mobility options for the St. Louis region — and a wonderful transit experience for our riders. Our zero-emission buses help us reduce greenhouse gases by up to 160 tons per year, when compared to a diesel bus. And, in addition to being environmentally friendly and offering a quiet, comfortable ride, these new electric buses also provide a substantial savings in fuel and maintenance costs – up to $525,000 over the life of each bus.
Fast Facts: 60-Foot Battery Electric Articulated Buses
• Exclusively serve on the #70 Grand MetroBus route
• New Flyer: Purchase price = $1.33 million | Operating cost = $0.59 per mile
• Range of 50-80 miles on a single charge
• Have 330 kWh of battery storage (enough to power ten 2,000 square-foot homes for a day)
• In-service charging at North Broadway Transit Center
• Charges overnight at Brentwood MetroBus Facility, powered by Ameren Missouri
• The 60-foot electric buses deliver a superior transit experience, featuring a Smart Ride control system for motion reduction and height adjustments, a more efficient and effective HVAC system, and electric traction motors that are nearly silent compared to diesel engines.
• Buses were built in Anniston, Alabama
Fast Facts: 40-Foot Battery Electric Buses
• Serve a variety of MetroBus routes in Missouri
• GILLIG: Purchase price = $950,000 | Operating cost = $0.43 per mile
• Range of 150 miles on a single charge
• Have 444 kWh of battery storage
• Charges overnight at Brentwood MetroBus Facility, powered by Ameren Missouri
• The 40-foot buses also deliver a superior transit experience with the latest features and amenities, including a Thermo King Electric HVAC system with integrated thermal management, and superior ride quality with low noise levels and smooth, seamless acceleration.
• Known for being the lowest cost transit buses to maintain, GILLIG buses are built on the company’s proven low-floor platform design and feature Cummins propulsion systems.
• Buses were built in Livermore, California
This program is possible with the help of several partners, including the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE), City of St. Louis and St. Louis County in Missouri, St. Clair County in Illinois, Ameren Missouri, GILLIG and New Flyer.
Through our partnership, Ameren Missouri built a new substation in Brentwood next to the Brentwood MetroBus facility to serve the growing electric needs of Metro Transit and the surrounding communities. The $11.3 million investment upgrades the power supply to triple capacity and modernizes the energy system for the area. The substation also features smart technology, including new automated sensors, switches and self-healing equipment to more rapidly detect and isolate damage in order to restore power quicker.
Charging infrastructure was constructed at the Brentwood MetroBus facility to charge the 40-foot and 60-foot buses overnight, and new charging infrastructure at the North Broadway Transit Center will charge the 60-foot buses while they are in service on the #70 Grand MetroBus route.
Latest News & Updates
- Celebrating 1 Year of Electric Buses – June 2022
- Metro Transit Awarded $4M Grant to Expand Electric Bus Program – March 2022
- MetroBus Electric Bus Fleet Grows with 6 GILLIG Buses – November 2021
- Metro Transit Puts First Electric Buses into Service – June 2021
- New Electric Buses Will Support Sustainable Mobility Options for the St. Louis Region – October 2020
