The Central Ohio Transit Authority is not buying any more electric buses, at least for now.
"There's been a number of recalls on the electric fleet, not just batteries, but other things on the fleet," said COTA spokesperson Jeff Pullin.
Pullin said COTA has paused its purchase of electric vehicles, instead turning to compressed natural gas buses.
The electric buses are designed to go about 150 miles on one charge, but Pullin said the buses don't make it that far. He said part of the problem is Ohio's weather.
"You have big swings from cold mornings to hot afternoons and use of your air conditioning and your heater really depletes that charge," Pullin said. "So, you'd have to bring it back and charge it more often."
Pullin said COTA still has 50 electric buses in its fleet of about 380 buses. COTA is installing faster overhead chargers for the electric vehicles.
The transit authority's new buses, though, will be gas powered. Pullin said COTA bought 38 compressed natural gas buses last year that will arrive this summer, and another 38 this year that will join the fleet next year, in order to keep up with planned service expansions.
Pullin said compressed natural gas is much cheaper than diesel, which COTA phased out in early 2025, and it burns much cleaner — though it's not zero emissions like electric. The gas buses can go further than their electric counterparts.
"You can fuel a compressed natural gas vehicle in the morning, and it stays out pretty much all day long through the service day. Some longer routes you might have to come back and refuel," Pullin said.
Pullin said COTA received grants to purchase its electric vehicles, but added that the transit authority also receives grant money for "low emission" vehicles, like the compressed natural gas buses.
