With three solid years of regular daily operation, Link Transit’s electric buses are proving their worth, according to Richard DeRock, General Manager of the Wenatchee, Washington, public transit agency. Now with 12 electric buses in operation, all using wireless chargers installed by Momentum Dynamics, the global leader in efficient, automated high-power wireless charging for electric vehicles, Link operates one of the largest electric bus fleets of any transit system in the nation. DeRock reports that the operating cost of their electric buses is about 51% of a diesel-fueled bus.
Momentum Dynamics installed the first wireless charging system at Link in late 2017 and more recently completed installation of four 300kW inductive chargers in 2021, three at Columbia Station and one in Leavenworth, WA. These four shared chargers support all of Link’s electric buses and keep them in constant service throughout the day.
“Momentum’s wireless chargers have been a game-changer for us,” said DeRock. “They charge our electric buses for a few minutes on the layover between routes and provide additional range, allowing our buses to stay in service for 12 to 14 hours a day – even during the harsh cold of winter. Buses typically end their day with 40-50% of battery charge still remaining even on the coldest days. The cost savings are real and measurable. Along with the availability of inexpensive, clean, renewable hydro-power from the Columbia River and lower maintenance costs, it makes expansion of our fleet of battery-electric buses a financially sensible solution to combating climate change.”
To replace aging diesel buses and allow for service expansion, Link will take delivery of three more 35′ buses in early 2023 and another eight 30′ buses later in 2023, all of which will use Momentum’s wireless chargers to extend range and allow for operational efficiency.
“We are very pleased to support Link Transit in their drive to a healthier future in an economically beneficial way,” said Andy Daga, CEO of Momentum Dynamics. “Wireless charging makes fleet management very efficient because the system delivers increased range and eliminates the need for a depot full of cables and chargers, all of which are subject to wear and tear and create a hazardous condition for workers. It is the most reliable and cost-effective charging system for fleets available today.”
Other communities now using wireless chargers for their mass-transit buses installed by Momentum Dynamics include Indianapolis, Martha’s Vineyard, Chattanooga, TN, and new installations across Washington, Oregon, California, and other states. The new terminal at Kansas City International Airport has been equipped with the wireless chargers to support their buses which will transport passengers between the terminal and parking facilities with an initial fleet of 7 (eventually 28) buses that will be kept in constant operation using only two shared wireless chargers.
