American firm Proterra, best known for its commercial electrification technology, has revealed the ZX5, with 40-foot and 35-foot models and a huge new battery capable of providing 300 miles of range on a single charge, depending on the conditions of the route.
Starting production in 2023, the ZX5 Max electric will come with a 738kWh battery and the 35 and 40-foot ZX5+ models will sport a whopping 492kWh for routes with a smaller range requirement. The massive amount of onboard energy means that Proterra buses feature more battery storage than any other 40-foot electric bus in the North American market.
Putting this in perspective, a Tesla Model 3 Long Range has a usable battery capacity of 75kWh, nearly ten times smaller than the ZX5 Max.
“As public transit accelerates towards zero-emission transportation, we’re excited to bring more energy and innovation to our industry-leading ZX5 electric transit bus to help drive this critical transformation,” said John Walsh, Chief Commercial Officer at Proterra.
The aim for Proterra’s huge battery? It plans to help transit agencies scale zero-emission bus fleets with electric vehicle technology.
Proterra Powered’s battery platform allows for a customizable design to fit within a variety of vehicles and a ruggedized commercial grade housing to withstand harsh environments.
With over 25 million service miles under its belt, Proterra already has a solid foundation on which it can develop this new battery and attract a new clientele.
Proterra’s batteries also power Volta Trucks’ Zero electric lorries.