The Bay Area’s Tri Delta transit is making the switch to electric busses, with the help of some novel technology. Fleet charging startup, Amply, is working with Tri Delta to reduce electricity use while expanding their electric fleet. Amply’s system is able to actively manage vehicle charging, minimizing demand and time-of-use rate charges. The active management is especially important to transit operators, since charging a single electric bus can draw about 75 kilowatts, and that demand can add up quickly when an entire fleet needs charging. Active management allows buses to be charged sequentially, minimizing concurrent demand, while ensuring that each bus is fully charged when it needs to be ready. With Amply’s system, Tri Delta has realized an average 40% savings on their electricity bill compared to last year. Very cool!
