As Demand for Electric Mass Transit in Southern California Grows, L.A. County's Foothill Transit Places Fourth Order with Proterra, Expanding its EV Bus Fleet to 30

SAN BRUNO, Calif., April 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Proterra, the leading provider of zero-emission battery-electric buses, announced that Foothill Transit, the primary public transit provider of the San Gabriel and Pomona valleys, has placed its fourth order in just five years for Proterra's EV buses. Foothill Transit, which serves more than 14 million customers in Los Angeles County, ordered an additional 13 Proterra buses, to be delivered in 2016. The move makes this Foothill's largest order to date, bringing the all-electric fleet to nearly 10 percent of the transit agency's total. The news of Foothill's new order coincides with today's California Energy Commission announcement that it has awarded Proterra a $3M grant to break ground on a new state-of-the-art facility, expanding Proterra's EV bus manufacturing and service capabilities to West coast customers, including Foothill Transit.

Proterra's new manufacturing facility will be located in the San Gabriel Valley and will create more than 70 local jobs. During the grant term, Proterra plans to manufacture and sell an estimated 424 buses, resulting in a reduction of 900M lbs of CO2 over the lifetime of those vehicles.

'It's very exciting to be the first agency in the nation to add the new extended range Catalyst™XR to our fleet," said Doran Barnes, Executive Director at Foothill Transit.  "It's also thrilling that these buses will be the first off the assembly line at a new facility in our own backyard. Demand is high for zero-emissions technology that can handle the punishing demands of heavily traveled transit routes. We've been operating these vehicles for five years and are eager to see what the next generation of tech can do."

With this latest purchase, Foothill Transit extends its lead as North America's largest battery-electric bus fleet, and will become the first customer for Proterra's new extended-range vehicle, the Proterra Catalyst™XR. Foothill will also be building off of the success of the full electrification of Route 291, currently serving more than approximately 700,000 annual riders with clean, quiet transportation.

"Transit organizations like Foothill that just five years ago were considered brave new early adopters, are now being joined en masse by cities and municipalities across the nation, ushering in a new era of zero-emission transit solutions," said Ryan Popple, CEO of Proterra. "Foothill Transit has been a clear leader in the transit community, and we look forward to expanding our relationship through the completion of our new LA County facility."

About Proterra:
Proterra is a leader in the design and manufacture of zero-emission vehicles that enable bus fleet operators to significantly reduce operating cost while delivering clean, quiet transportation to the community. Proterra has sold to 14 different transit agencies throughout North America. Proterra's configurable EV platform, battery and charging options make its buses well-suited to a wide range of transit and campus routes. With unmatched durability and energy efficiency based on rigorous U.S. certification testing, Proterra products are proudly designed, engineered and manufactured in America, with offices in South Carolina and Silicon Valley. For more information visit: http://www.proterra.com/ and follow us on Twitter @Proterra_Inc.

SOURCE Proterra

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