IT·Science Talk

Bus driver here: our new electric buses are brilliant, until the heater comes on

Our depot got a batch of electric buses this year and honestly, I love driving them. No engine rumble, smooth pull away, passengers comment on how quiet they are. Nobody misses breathing diesel at the stops.

But we're heading into winter and the heating is the big unknown. Last cold snap the planners were very careful about which routes got which buses, and a couple of the longer ones went back to the old diesels for the day. Nobody official explained why, but we can all guess.

Anyone else drive or ride electric buses in a proper cold climate? Does it actually work out, or is it always a juggling act?