Los Angles DoT Receives $6M To Install Solar-Powered EV Fleet Charging System

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) has been awarded a $6 million grant by the California Energy Commission to install one of the largest EV fleet charging systems in the United States. The charging system will be powered by a solar and storage microgrid.

“Los Angeles is on track to achieve a zero-emission future and our investments in clean transportation systems are driving that progress,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “The more electric vehicles we put on our streets today, the more we can lower emissions to ensure a healthier, more sustainable tomorrow.”

The solar and storage microgrid paired with 104 EV chargers will support LADOT’s adoption of electric buses as the agency works towards its goal of achieving a 100% electrified bus fleet by 2028. LADOT selected Proterra and Apparent to install the EV-charging microgrid and to manage EV charging and overall energy use for more than 100 electric buses. They will deploy 1.5 megawatts of rooftop and bus solar canopy paired with a 4.5MWh energy storage system provided by Apparent to help power five Proterra 1.5-megawatt fleet chargers with 104 remote EV charging dispensers. The microgrid will utilize Apparent’s intelligent grid operating system (igOS™) platform to integrate Proterra Energy’s charging infrastructure with energy generation to coordinate how and when the electric buses are charged with energy generated from solar, or drawn from storage or the utility.The project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower LADOT’s electricity costs, and also provide emergency back-up power that will enable the agency to continue to operate in an outage.

“Meeting our climate and sustainability goals requires persistent investment and urgent action,” said LADOT General Manager Seleta Reynolds. “This grant provides an essential support facility as we move closer to our goal of a fully electric fleet.”