This morning at 10:45 am, Green Bay’s very first battery-powered electric bus left the University Avenue depot. Clad in blaze orange, the Gillig-made bus will make its debut on the “La Baye” route from downtown Green Bay to the NFL Draft-village. This is the first of six electric buses that will be entering Green Bay Metro service over the next two years. These have been paid for either with federal grant dollars or with money from the Volkswagen settlement that resulted from VW’s emissions scandal.
FAQs
Q: How will the bus handle the range? Will winter be a factor?
A: The bus’s range, even in winter, far exceeds the projected routes.
Q: How can it be “zero emissions” if it’s connected to the grid?
A: This is a fair point, at 18% clean, the grid in Green Bay is far from the cleanest. However, even with emissions from electricity generation, EVs have much lower emissions overall than internal combustion engine vehicles. This is because they make use of energy more efficiently. And, someday, when municipal electricity is sourced from clean emissions, then it will truly be zero emissions.
Q: How long will it take to recharge the bus?
A: About three hours.
Electrify your own ride
Instant tax credits continue to be available for used and new EVs. These are transferrable tax credits. They way they work is when you purchase a qualified EV (including both battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles), your tax credit is transferred to the car dealer. So, from the car-buyer’s standpoint, it’s effectively an instant discount. Not only do EVs substantially eliminate or decrease emissions (depending on your access to clean energy), they have lower operating costs and insulate you from the fluctuations of gas prices. They also happen to be really fun to drive! For more information about the tax credit, click here. It may not be renewed for 2026, so if you have been thinking about purchasing an EV, now is a good time.