Proterra partnered with Mitsui & Co. Ltd. to create a $200 million credit facility in support of a battery lease program. Mitsui, a Japanese investment and trading company, holds a diversified portfolio of businesses in various sectors including mobility, infrastructure, and renewable energy. The battery leasing credit facility, the first of its kind in the North American public transit industry, is expected to lower the upfront costs of zero-emission buses and put Proterra electric buses at roughly the same price as a diesel bus.

By decoupling the batteries from the sale of its buses, Proterra enables transit customers to purchase the electric bus and lease the batteries over the 12-year lifetime of the bus. As a result of the battery lease, the initial capital expense for the electric bus will be similar to a diesel or CNG bus, and customers can utilize the operating funds previously earmarked for fuel to pay for the battery lease. Additionally, under the 12-year battery lease, Proterra will own and guarantee the performance of the batteries through the life of the bus, decreasing operator risk.

The battery lease agreement also provides a performance warranty on the batteries and new batteries at mid-life to help customers ensure they always have plenty of energy to meet their route needs and hedge against future replacement battery costs. The battery lease program removes one of the biggest barriers to electric bus adoption, and transit agencies will now be able to modernize fleets faster and achieve their zero carbon goals sooner.

In addition to the battery leasing initiative, Proterra and Mitsui have established a program to use batteries from the leasing program in secondary applications after the end of their useful life in a vehicle. Proterra’s E2 battery packs are designed with secondary usage in mind, with simplified integration for easy removal and a form factor that enables repurposing.

In 2015, the FAST Act specifically authorized the ability to lease batteries separate from a vehicle. Since then, more than a dozen Proterra customers, including Park City, Utah and Moline, Illinois, are already using or have agreed to use the battery lease program. Park City was the first customer to enter into a battery service agreement with Proterra for a fleet of six Catalyst buses that were funded as part of the 2016 Low or No-Emission Bus Program. Park City plans to lease batteries for its next set of seven Catalyst vehicles in pursuit of its long-term goal of going 100% electric.