Walnut Creek, Calif.’s Central Contra Costa Transit Authority received four Gillig buses, powered by BAE Systems’ electric propulsion and accessory systems.

The all-electric buses were secured through funding from a Federal Transit Administration 2012 Clean Fuels grant as well as local matching funds. Together with Gillig, BAE was able to develop and deliver a highly capable and reliable all-electric bus to the community. The Series-EV uses the same components as our high-performance Series-E hybrid-electric system, which powers thousands of buses all around the world.

“The primary difference between our traditional hybrid-electric system and the battery-electric system is the elimination of the internal combustion engine and the addition of larger batteries, which store more energy and provide the desired range. Like traditional hybrid buses that use our system, the electric bus takes advantage of regenerative braking and electric accessories, making the bus even more efficient,” says Bob Devine, director, advanced applications, at BAE Systems’ Power & Propulsion Solutions business area.

In this case, the electric buses shuttle passengers between the downtown area and the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station. A wireless charger system at the BART station charges up the buses’ batteries during the layover, while passengers disembark and board. The bus then travels back to the downtown area, completing a full route loop. At night, the bus travels approximately nine miles back to the depot where it can be plugged in and fully charged overnight to be ready for the next day.

To date, BAE have 7,000 hybrid-electric systems in service. Each year its systems transport one billion passengers, saving 15 million gallons of fuel while eliminating 160,000 tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. We continue to develop more efficient transportation solutions, such as all-electric vehicle systems, as well as hybrid solutions for heavy-duty trucks and marine applications.