Essay by Eric Worrall
h/t J Boles; … the five electric buses were “operating well” until November 2025 when the batteries “were recalled for fire hazard. …
Out Cold: Vermont’s electric-powered buses prove unreliable for transportation this winter
“Taxpayers were sold an $8 million ‘solution’ that can’t operate in cold weather when the home for these buses is in New England,” spokesman for energy workers group says.
…
“Canceling the federal grant for electric bus purchases would result in us losing the grant funds,” Clark said. “It would not give us an opportunity to use the funds differently.”
…
Clark also explained that the five electric buses were “operating well” until November 2025 when the batteries “were recalled for fire hazard.”
The recall prompted a software update from New Flyer to “decrease the likelihood for fire” that “included only allowing the bus to charge to 75% and to not allow charging when the battery is below 41 degrees,” Clark explained.
“Previously we could charge in any temperature to 100%,” Clark said.
As GMT’s bus garage “does not have suitable fire mitigation equipment to store or charge an electric bus indoors at this time,” the transportation system is unable to use its electric buses when temperatures hit below 41.
…
Senator Bernie Sanders’ media relations has not yet responded to The Center Square’s two requests for comment.
Read more: https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/vermont-ev-buses-prove-unreliable-transportation-winter
Who could have guessed electric vehicles can catch fire if you try to charge them in temperatures below 41F? I mean, its not like there were any other clues that batteries suffer problems in the cold.
And the question must be asked – if charging batteries at temperatures colder than 41F is a fire hazard, how can running EV busses in winter conditions be safe? Do all EVs face an enhanced risk of catching fire in Winter?
Over in New York, parents have accused bus operators of trying to stretch the range of electric vehicles by turning off the heaters, leaving school kids shivering in hard frost temperatures.
But in harsh Vermont winters they can’t even charge the busses.
Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont is a major proponent of green busses, he helped make this disaster happen.
Bernie’s ‘Green New Deal’: What’s In It For Transit?
By Angie Schmitt
5:17 PM GMT-4 on August 22, 2019Senator Bernie Sanders today released his plan for decarbonizing the American transportation system, calling for a big boost in transit spending, a network of high-speed rail, and a phasing out of internal-combustion engines.
The proposal, which he calls the Green New Deal, calls for moving toward 100 percent renewable energy for transportation by 2030 and complete decarbonization by 2050. The total price tag, the campaign estimates, is $16 trillion. The transition would create 20 million jobs, effectively ending unemployment, Sanders claims. Some are calling it the boldest plan by any Democrat seeking the presidency, and it is the first proposal from major contender that addresses transit.
…
Read more: https://usa.streetsblog.org/2019/08/22/bernie-sanderss-green-new-deal-not-so-green-and-not-so-new
There is an opportunity for Bernie to make this right.
Green Mountain Transit needs at least $4 million to fix this mess, by buying reliable fossil fuel powered vehicles. Bernie Sanders net worth is estimated at $2.5 million, not as much as investment geniuses like Nancy Pelosi, but more than enough money to help the people fix a public transport disaster which Sander’s advocacy helped to create.
How about it Sanders? Will you step up and use your means to provide to others according to their needs? If you say kick in a million of your own money, and use your political profile to raise the rest of the cash, the people of Vermont will once again have reliable public transport. I’m sure President Trump would be receptive to a phone call from Sanders to help raise money to roll back the EV revolution.
