Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is getting federal grant funding for an electric shuttle bus that will run between the domestic and international terminals and will charge wirelessly.
Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi
Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi
The Atlanta airport is getting the funding as part of a batch of environmental grants from the Federal Aviation Administration to 11 airports around the country to reduce emissions and improve air quality.
The program allows airports to use airport funding to buy vehicles that produce zero exhaust emissions for up to half of the project.
Hartsfield-Jackson is getting $926,789 in zero emissions airport vehicle grant funding to buy one electric shuttle bus for passengers to get from the domestic terminal to the international terminal, and to fund a wireless inductive charging pad and a long-term charging area.
Hartsfield-Jackson has been evaluating the use of WAVE induction electric buses to replace diesel buses that transport passengers between the domestic and international terminals. The technology allows a bus to drive over the charging pad to charge while idling at a bus stop to pick up passengers.
The airport estimated it could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 273,000 lbs a year, and save $450,000 in fuel costs compared to diesel fuel.
The airport has not yet selected which electric bus manufacturer it will use.
