Access electric vehicles

The conversion of 250 Access paratransit vehicles from gas-powered to electric will assist King County in reaching its Strategic Climate Action Plan goals to reduce green-house gas emissions. An electric fleet benefits the community, riders, and employees through improved air quality. Furthermore, the program aligns with broader King County equity and social justice goals by reducing the negative environmental impacts in communities where our services operate.

A pilot fleet of Access electric vehicles will debut in fall 2022. Through a series of community engagement opportunities—including two surveys—we will ask for rider feedback on vehicle design and pilot experiences. This feedback will inform the purchase of future Access electric vehicles as we build up to a paratransit fleet totaling over 250.

What is the current mileage range for battery-electric Access vehicles?

The current range for commercial vehicles suitable for Access paratransit is around 80 miles. We anticipate this figure to rise in the coming years as more battery-electric commercial vehicles become available and technology advances.

How is Metro building the necessary infrastructure for electric Access vehicles?

Metro is building our electric vehicle capacity in steps. With the launch of this pilot, we aim to convert all our operations on Vashon Island to electric by 2023. We’ll continue to slowly expand the pilot and test different vehicle types as we introduce a select number of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) to the rest of our operation. Meanwhile, Metro’s Mobility Division will be engaging community partners and stakeholders to help us plan for the redevelopment of our South Park operations base. Once completed, this will become the Mobility Divisions first all-electric operations base.

Will community have input on the new electric vehicle designs?

Starting in spring 2022, Access riders will have the opportunity to provide feedback on vehicle features for our new electric fleet. Through two surveys, we be seeking input on which features to prioritize and consider as a final electric paratransit vehicle type and manufacturer are identified.