BALTIMORE, March 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today
Proterra, the leading innovator in heavy-duty electric
transportation, announced that Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), a
subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation's leading
competitive energy provider, will deploy two new 40' Proterra
Catalyst® E2 vehicles to shuttle employees between
BGE's headquarters in downtown Baltimore and its Spring Gardens campus in
south Baltimore. The deployment
reflects BGE's leadership in fleet electrification as part of a
broader grid modernization strategy and comes on the heels of the
State of Maryland's commitment to
uphold the Paris Climate Accord. Already, Maryland is on track to meet its goal of
reducing its emissions by 25 percent by 2020, and these two new
electric shuttles will displace more than 11,000 gallons of diesel
and eliminate more than 480,000 pounds of greenhouse gas (CO2e)
emissions annually. As Maryland's
largest utility, BGE's deployment sets the utility apart as a
pioneer, advancing Maryland's
transition to electric transportation and grid innovation.
"As BGE looks at innovative ways to support our customers'
growing interest in electric vehicles, we must be able to support
not only our residential customers, but also our commercial and
industrial customers," said
Baltimore Gas and Electric CEO, Calvin
Butler. "This is why we are thrilled to be the first utility
to deploy heavy-duty electric shuttle buses and interoperable
charging infrastructure which will not only provide an efficient
way to get our employees from one location to another, but will
also serve as active research lab that will help us plan for and
build out the infrastructure necessary to support other fleets
across our service area. We look forward to partnering with
Proterra, as we build a market that supports our electrification
and grid modernization goals."
The procurement was funded in part by a $20K voucher per bus provided by the Maryland
Freedom Fleet Voucher Program. These are the first electric buses
to receive this voucher from the State of
Maryland. Now, with access to Proterra battery-electric
buses, BGE employees will be able to enjoy the combined benefits of
zero-emission transit technology, including improved local air
quality and a modern, quiet rider experience.
Designed for efficiency and manufactured for durability,
Proterra's 40' Catalyst E2 series achieves 22 MPGe, while
conventional diesel buses average 3.86 MPG. These buses will
utilize Combined Charging System (CCS) plug-in DC fast
chargers, enabling interoperability with multiple vehicle types,
including passenger cars and trucks to utilize the same charging
equipment and ultimately lower infrastructure costs for all
electric vehicles.
This heavy-duty electric vehicle shuttle program will inform
future Baltimore Gas and Electric decisions on EV fleet
integration, interoperable charging infrastructure and EV rate
design, ultimately supporting a statewide electrification strategy.
Currently, BGE offers its electric vehicle customers a reduced
electric rate during off-peak hours to save EV drivers more money
on their monthly electricity bill.
"Utility support of innovative electric vehicle programs and
grid transformation is critical as more consumers and transit
providers opt for EVs, presenting both system wide opportunities
and challenges along the way," said Proterra CEO Ryan Popple. "We're grateful to partner with
BGE, a utility that is thinking big about the future of
electrification, and supporting BGE through this technological
transition as well as optimizing around an interconnected,
distributed energy future."
About Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE):
BGE, founded
in 1816 as the nation's first gas utility and headquartered in
Baltimore, is Maryland's largest natural gas and electric
utility. The company's approximately 3,200 employees are committed
to safe and reliable power delivery to more than 1.25 million
electric customers and more than 650,000 natural gas customers in
central Maryland, as well as
enhanced energy management, conservation, environmental stewardship
and community assistance. J.D. Power's 2017 Electric Utility
Business Customer Satisfaction Study SM ranked BGE highest in
customer satisfaction with business electric service in the east
among large utilities. The company also has an estimated annual
economic impact of $5 billion of
output in its service area, supporting more than 9,500 local jobs
and producing $923 million in labor
income. BGE is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the
nation's leading competitive energy provider.
About Proterra:
Proterra is a leader in the design
and manufacture of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles, enabling bus
fleet operators to significantly reduce operating costs while
delivering clean, quiet transportation to local communities across
North America. With more than 546
vehicles sold to 67 different municipal, university, airport,
federal and commercial transit agencies in 30 states, Proterra is
committed to providing state of the art, high performance vehicles
to meet today's growing market demand. The company's configurable
Catalyst platform is capable of serving the full daily mileage
needs of nearly every transit route on a single charge. With
unmatched durability and energy efficiency based on rigorous U.S.
certification testing, Proterra products are proudly designed,
engineered and manufactured in America, with offices in Silicon
Valley, South Carolina, and
Los Angeles. For more information,
visit: http://www.proterra.com and follow us on Twitter
@Proterra_Inc.
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SOURCE Proterra