Change the world… more like charge the world…

Columbia will purchase six brand new battery-electric powered buses, which will replace the current diesel-powered buses in use by the campus shuttle network. Due to a grant from the New York State Electric Vehicle Voucher Incentive Funds, the University will be able to buy these buses for the network. The electric buses will provide both environmental and health benefits, like “reduced emissions and noise pollution, and improved air quality”. By going electric, the University is predicted to reduce emissions “by over 270 metric tons”, which will be a 70% reduction.

The six electric buses will be Xcelsior buses that are fourty-feet and will be able to seat 40 passengers. These Xcelsior buses have a “battery capacity of 480 kilowatt hours” and will be able to “travel over 200 miles on a single charge”. These new buses will also be the first electric buses in New York City.

Look out for these green, clean machines when they roll up onto campus next summer!

Xcellent Xcelsior via CUFO