Electric Bus Goes 1,100 Miles on Single Charge, Setting World Record

EV developer Proterra just took an electric bus for a short jaunt ... of 1,101.2 miles. The 40-foot, heavy duty Catalyst E2 max, with an energy storage capacity of 660 kWh, set a new world record for electric vehicle range on a single charge.

And this is commendable, but what truly distinguishes the E2 max is its weight.

"For our heavy-duty electric bus to break the previous world record of 1,013.76 miles — which was set by a light-duty passenger EV 46 times lighter than the Catalyst E2 max — is a major feat," said Matt Horton, Proterra's chief commercial officer (emphasis mine).

Most of us wouldn’t brag about our massive girth, but the E2 max aims to replace standard passenger buses, so the bulk is vital. And the company is also touting some significant lifetime maintenance and operational savings – up to $237,000 and $459,000, respectively, compared to diesel-hybrid equivalents over 12 years.

And while the company‘s mum about what’s almost certainly a huge investment – far more so than standard diesel buses – they’re all-in on the long-term savings.

“Driven by the best cost savings-per-mile, we believe the business case for heavy-duty electric buses is superior to all other applications,” said Ryan Popple, Proterra CEO. “The transit market will be the first to transition completely to battery-electric powered vehicles.”