IndyGo is canceling an electric bus order and buying diesels

One of the benefits touted by IndyGo for the Red, Purple and Blue rapid transit lines has been the use of electric buses.

IndyGo also has lofty goals to operate an entirely electric fleet by 2035. But those plans are now at risk as issues with the existing electric buses have not been resolved.

The IndyGo board approved on Thursday the purchase of 13 40-foot diesel buses, at a cost of $7.5 million. These buses will be implemented on Route 39, the future Purple Line, by June 2020 when the new grid system and schedules are introduced.

IndyGo also canceled a December 2019 order for five BYD electric buses, costing nearly $6.5 million. Those funds and a $1 million line of credit/municipal lease will be applied to the diesel buses.

"BYD has yet to provide the permanent solution to ensure that the buses meet their contractual range," IndyGo said in an emailed statement. "To maintain our proposed service improvements for June, the Gillig buses were the best option. These buses will help with local route service but won’t be used for the Purple Line because they don’t have left side doors."

So far IndyGo has 31 electric buses from manufacturer BYD running on the Red Line. Tests have proven the buses do not reach the promised 275-mile range, particularly in cold weather conditions. IndyGo president and CEO Inez Evans said they have not paid for any of the buses, only the parts to keep the existing ones running.

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To offset the battery issues, BYD agreed to pay for boost chargers at either end of the Red Line. Temporary chargers have been implemented, as the permanent ones were delayed twice and are now scheduled to be installed in September.

Evans said they are in discussion with another electric bus company, New Flyer. During a hearing in front of the Municipal Corporations Committee on Feb. 12, Evans said the BYD buses are performing better than New Flyer vehicles, which have an average range of 130 to 150 miles.

Contact IndyStar reporter Kellie Hwang at 317-444-6032 or kellie.hwang@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter: @KellieHwang.