
A US$200 million credit facility to support a battery-leasing programme for electric buses in North America has been launched by Japanese chemicals company Mitsui & Co and automotive firm Proterra.
The companies said the initiative is expected to lower the upfront costs of zero-emission buses and make Proterra’s electric buses “roughly the same price as a diesel bus”.
California-based Proterra said bus operators can purchase a vehicle and lease its battery packs— based on lithium-ion technology co-developed with South Korea’s LG Chem— over the 12-year lifetime of the bus.
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