Santa Monica, California’s public Big Blue Bus fleet is getting 130 DC fast-charging ports as it works toward building an entirely electric fleet by 2032.

The chargers are part of the city’s $56 million investment in electric transit infrastructure. ChargePoint will supply its Express Plus charging hardware and fleet management software, while power management company Eaton will provide the electrical equipment needed to deliver power across the depot.

The project will be one of ChargePoint’s largest transit deployments to date.

Powering an electric bus depot takes more than installing a row of chargers. The electrical system needs to support a lot of large vehicles charging at once, and the buses must be ready when their routes begin without overloading the site or disrupting daily service.

Eaton is supplying the medium-voltage switchgear, switchboards, panelboards, and engineering support behind the 130-port charging network. That’s the equipment that will receive, distribute, and control the large amount of electricity needed to keep the fleet moving.

ChargePoint’s software will monitor the buses both at the depot and while they’re on the road. It can adjust charging in real time and track the fleet’s sustainability results, helping Big Blue Bus coordinate charging with its operating schedule as more electric buses arrive.

“Santa Monica’s leadership in clean transportation demonstrates what’s possible when cities commit to bold climate action,” said ChargePoint CEO Rick Wilmer.

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