CapMetro Launches Overhead Wired Charging for Austin Electric Bus Fleet
New pantograph systems at Goodnight Ranch and Expo Center enable 20-22 hour operational windows for transit buses.
CapMetro has opened two new park-and-ride facilities featuring overhead pantograph-style wired charging to support its newly electrified Rapid 800 and 837 bus routes in Austin.
What Happened
The Goodnight Ranch and Expo Center stations debuted alongside the agency’s electric bus routes, adding end-of-line charging infrastructure to the network. The buses are built on New Flyer’s Xcelsior battery-electric transit platform, which the manufacturer claims offers up to 660 kWh of available capacity. At CapMetro’s main depot, infrastructure partner Camber Charging installed two 1,440 kW charging systems connected to 48 industrial dispensers, providing 2.9 MW of total capacity designed to support overnight charging for up to 48 electric buses simultaneously. The new terminals extend this capability to the route endpoints, allowing buses to top off batteries between runs.
Why It Matters
The implementation of on-route overhead charging significantly extends the operational hours of the electric fleet. CapMetro Chief Operations Officer and Executive VP Andy Skabowski explained that while a typical bus holds eight hours of charge, the new on-route charging capability extends that window to 20 or 22 hours. "Every time that pantograph drops, we charge that bus," Skabowski said. "That’s what makes a commitment like (every) 10- to 15-minute service possible." Camber Charging also provides preventive maintenance, energy management software, and remote diagnostics across all three locations, ensuring the infrastructure supports the agency's goal of frequent service intervals.
The Bottom Line
Austin’s transit agency has successfully integrated overhead wired charging into its electric bus operations, utilizing New Flyer vehicles and Camber Charging infrastructure to enable high-frequency service on the Rapid 800 and 837 lines.
