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Suffolk Tests Six Battery-Electric Buses; County Defers Larger Purchases Pending Evaluation
Summary
DoIT/EDP staff said the county recently received six battery-electric buses for evaluation and will defer larger purchases while testing performance, charging management and costs; overnight charging and software will be used to capture lower rates and manage demand.
Suffolk County transit staff said the county received six battery-electric buses this year for a pilot and will evaluate performance before committing to larger battery-electric purchases. "We were originally looking to utilize 100% New York State funding to purchase those buses but we've decided to defer accepting those funds until we've had a chance to properly evaluate the six battery electric buses that we're receiving this year," said Chris Chatterton.
Chatterton said the battery packs are roughly 600 kWh and charge at about 150 kW, meaning a full charge takes roughly three to four hours; charging management software will schedule overnight charging to take advantage of lower rates. The county expects to bank state funds for up to three years while evaluating the pilot. Legislators asked about battery lifespan and replacement costs; staff said manufacturers design battery life to align with transit vehicle life (target ~12 years/500,000 miles), but long‑term data will inform replacement cost estimates.
Next steps: staff will evaluate operations, range and maintenance needs and then recommend whether to proceed with larger procurements.
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