DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – It is taking three to four electric buses to replace just one diesel bus for the city of Detroit because it lacks on-street charging infrastructure.
That’s according to a memo sent to the City Council by Detroit’s Executive Director of Transit Robert Cramer.
Cramer stated that the electric buses can only be utilized for a maximum of six hours per day “which is not very beneficial when it comes to DDOT [Detroit Department of Transportation]being able to service our customers.”
Cramer continued: “It takes approximately three to four electric buses to replace just one diesel bus that can stay in service for over 18 hours without refueling.”
“The overall usefulness of these [electric] buses is limited,” the memo stated.
Detroit deployed its first electric buses in 2022. At that time, the city of Detroit said the buses would be more reliable and less costly to maintain.
The city announced in 2022 that it was expanding its electric bus fleet from four to eight. On April 21, 2025, the city announced it would likely be adding four more electric buses this year.