3 ms·

Until you have to change the battery a few years later and it’s cheaper to buy a new bus.

• b112 1y ago
  Actually, this is an interesting point. Batteries tend to have a max charge/discharge cycle. Unlike a consumer car, buses see a lot more distance. I wonder how much more quickly the batteries go.
  • lesuorac 1y ago
    The lithium doesn't escape from a battery like it does from a gas tank. I would expect a large scale operator to recover a lot of money from the sale of those rare earth minerals.
    • b112 1y ago
      Large or small operator, the recovery amount will be a tiny fraction of the overall battery pack cost. Recycling isn't free, and costs, and assemble + profit margins at both ends. In short, you're diverting "how often" to "meh, who cares, they're recyclable", without any validation that it negates the cost.
  • rlpb 1y ago
    AIUI, as EV fleets age, we're learning that it's the depth of charge and discharge that degrades batteries, not the total power throughput. Staying within 20% and 80% makes most of the difference to longevity. Additionally, they seem to degrade to about 80% of original capacity and then plateau, and are generally lasting much longer than initially expected.