PRESS RELEASE
The number of electric buses at Kansas City International Airport doubles, thanks to the city council’s decision to buy seven new ones BYD battery electric vehicles.
The new buses will complement the seven that already serve KCI’s Economy Parking operation and expand Kansas City’s growing list of green initiatives.
The Department of Aviation will realize significant cost savings by operating electric buses, as they reduce fuel and maintenance costs by tens of thousands of dollars over the life of the bus.
In 2017, the Department of Aviation purchased four battery-electric coaches – the first electric buses in airport passenger service in the United States. At another US airport, Aviation asked Momentum Dynamics (now InductEV) to install a wireless charging system in the new terminal for its electric buses. The inductive system will provide incremental charging to electric shuttles at stops, keeping them in service longer along the seven-mile loop.
“The Kansas City Department of Aviation has long been at the forefront of implementing the latest environmentally friendly programs and vehicles,” Kansas City Aviation Director Pat Klein said. . “In 1997, we deployed a fleet of the first compressed natural gas transit vehicles in regular use in Kansas City. We are taking this step by purchasing electric buses to reduce fleet emissions, with a goal of a 100% electric bus fleet in the coming years.
The approved purchase amount is just over $4.8 million, but the Department of Aviation is seeking to execute a contract with the local nonprofit Metropolitan Energy Center (MEC) to accept and approve grant funds. $732,800 from the US Department of Energy to support the purchase of four of the seven buses. The balance of $3,020,382 would come from airport revenues.
“MEC has gladly assisted the airport with its clean bus initiatives since 1996, when the Kansas City Regional Clean Cities Coalition was formed,” said Kelly Gilbert, executive director of the Metropolitan Energy Center. “Today, we are thrilled to help usher in a new era for zero-emission transportation of customers around the airport’s new terminal. The airport joins seven other organizations in the region who are electrifying their fleets during the first phase of a new project that will reduce emissions and increase funding to underfunded areas of Missouri and Kansas.
Media can direct their questions to media@kcmo.org.
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The Kansas City Airport System is a corporate fund department of the City of Kansas City, Missouri, and is funded entirely by airport user fees. No tax revenue from the general fund is used for the administration, promotion, operation or maintenance of airports in the system. Visit flykci.com for more information.
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