The Chicago Transit Authority and Pace could soon double the size of their electric bus fleets, thanks to a large state grant to pay for 57 additional battery-powered vehicles.
A $58 million grant from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is bankrolling 27 new electric buses for Pace in the suburbs and 30 for the CTA in the city, Gov. JB Pritzker announced Friday.
The cash infusion could help the transit agencies reach their goals of fully electrifying their bus fleets by 2040.
“This is an investment that will help us meet our climate goals, create opportunity for our people, and further connect our communities,” the governor said in a statement.
It’s unclear when the buses will hit the streets. The grants cover 75% of the purchase price of each bus. Pace is pitching in $9 million, and the RTA — which is funding CTA’s buses — another $10 million toward the project.
When the buses do arrive, they will greatly expand the CTA and Pace’s paltry electric fleets.
The new grant could more than double CTA’s current inventory of 25 electric buses. Those electric buses currently run on two lines: The No. 66 Chicago Avenue line, and the No. 63 route between 63rd/Stony Island and Midway Airport. The electric vehicles make up a a small part of CTA’s total 1,900 buses.
Pace currently has two battery-powered buses, a spokeswoman said. One is in operation along 95th Street, and another is being prepped to enter service soon. Pace also has an electric paratransit vehicle that operates in the Elgin area.
Pace introduced its first electric bus early last year. It has since ordered 22 electric buses, which have not been delivered, not including the 27 funded by the new state grant. The suburban bus agency has a fleet of over 700 gas-powered buses.
Pace has said it will cost $1.5 billion to convert its nine garages to handle electric buses, and $840 million to purchase 700 electric buses at $1.2 million apiece.