Dunn County committee approves purchase of two electric buses, defers solar-field decision

Dunn County transit committee members voted on Nov. 12 to purchase two Phoenix Zeus 400 electric buses after a staff presentation on updated quotes, lifecycle calculations and reimbursement timing.

Austin, a transit staff member, told the committee that Phoenix Motorcars provided revised pricing and that "the total outstanding cost for these two would be $513,000; we already paid $93,078" toward the purchase. He said the county's capital budget currently shows about $607,000 available, but that reimbursements from grant programs would be processed only after the county sends proof of payment and final invoices.

Why it matters: The decision obligates the county to front significant capital costs until reimbursements arrive and raises operational questions—range, winter performance, charging schedules and whether to pair the bus purchase with a planned solar field that could lower long-term energy costs.

Committee members pressed staff on several practical points. Austin said Phoenix estimated roughly a six-month lead time and that the vendor has a Buy America–compliant battery supplier. He described the battery warranty as roughly six years and 175,000 miles, which the committee noted is close to the agency's 7-year/200,000-mile end-of-service target. Members discussed typical daily mileage (about 100 miles), the buses' 125-kilowatt-hour battery option, and how quick charging could restore roughly 20% state-of-charge in an hour under certain scenarios.

Members also debated the county's $200,000 solar grant, which staff said carries an approximately 80% reimbursement provision. Austin explained the grant had been rewritten since an earlier version and that the county has until July 2026 to build the solar field to remain eligible. He cautioned that the solar grant does not currently include battery storage in the scope, saying "solar without a battery system to harness that when we're charging at night doesn't do much." Several members concluded they could approve the buses now and continue investigating the solar-field design, timing and whether additional battery storage would be necessary to capture meaningful nighttime savings.

On infrastructure, Austin said the county's existing chargers are compatible with the incoming buses and that the vendor would supply any different cords at its own cost if needed. He pointed to the county's earlier experience with charger installation—chargers installed in August 2022 were later reimbursed after paperwork was submitted—as an example of how the reimbursement process can work once invoices are filed.

A motion to approve purchase of the Phoenix Zeus 400 buses was moved and seconded; members voted in favor by voice and the motion passed. After the vote, one member said, "We will move forward with the electric bus purchase." The committee set its next meeting for Jan. 14.

What remains: Staff will continue work on the solar-field feasibility, seek utility pricing or off-peak charging options, and refine operational planning for winter performance and battery management. The committee approved the bus purchase but did not finalize or fund the solar field at this meeting.