King County Metro and City Light are charging forward with a greener tomorrow, breaking ground on a pioneering electric bus base set to supercharge public transit in the region. Announced at an event on March 6, the new facility located in Tukwila will be King County's first to cater exclusively to an eco-friendly fleet of 120 all-electric buses, with wheels expected to hit the road in 2026, according to City Light's official blog.
"Today marks another milestone achievement for our region’s transportation electrification and decarbonization. We look forward to continuing our partnership with King County Metro as we work together to create the energy future for the communities we serve," City Light’s Interim General Manager and CEO Dawn Lindell, said in a nod to the bright future of sustainable commuting. The historic move expands on previous initiatives, including the 2022 collaboration between City Light, King County Metro, and the City of Tukwila which saw the launch of the Metro Transit South Base, a charging station for 40 long-range battery-electric buses currently in operation.
The effort underscores a broader shift, with Michelle Allison, Metro's General Manager claiming, "Metro is leading a sustainability transformation and today’s event celebrates a vital milestone," as reported by City Light’s post. She also highlighted the Interim Base as a blueprint for constructing future bases and as a hotbed for innovation where cutting-edge vehicles and expert transit professionals will converge.
Designed to meet the high demands of a rapidly evolving fleet, the facility is being tooled up to deliver between 6-10 megawatts of power necessary for the zero-emission buses. In a bid to cover all bases, the blueprint also includes provisions for electric non-revenue vehicles like EV sedans and an electric yard cart, that will juice up at a newly appointed charging station next to the adjacent parking garage.
