Chelan County PUD is closely monitoring a LINK Transit feasibility study on a new charging station designed for their electric bus fleet.
The proposed station would have the capacity to charge bus batteries at a rate of one megawatt per hour for a duration ranging from three to nine hours. PUD Customer Service Director Andy Wendell considers the charging station a significant advancement for transit and transportation as a whole. Wendell says the PUD believes this battery storage system is the next evolution in transportation and charging.
During a recent commissioners meeting, management staff at the PUD discussed Link's efforts in establishing a potential new charging station while reviewing the county's electrical load growth.
Link Transit has gained recognition as a pioneer in electric buses since its implementation in 2014. Initially, the fleet faced notable issues with the batteries and charging system, leading to their replacement in 2017. The manufacturer replaced several 35-foot BYD K9S battery electric buses with more reliable models the following year, later adding five additional buses of the same model. Earlier this year, Link expanded its electric fleet with the delivery of nine additional 30-foot BYD coaches and two 35-foot coaches, bringing the total number of electric vehicles to 23. Since 2018, Link has been utilizing charging stations from Momentum Dynamics at its primary transit center. Link Transit and their partners see this is the first step towards establishing a sustainable, clean energy economy for America.