Electric minibus, first of its kind in US, becomes newest addition to MVTA fleet
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A first-of-its-kind bus in the country is now making stops in Eagan.
Minnesota Valley Transit Authority is testing out an electric minibus, the e-Jest, an electric version of one of Europe’s best-selling minibuses.
“This is an electric opportunity that is really, really rare,” said Dan Rudiger, director of transportation at MVTA.
The team at MVTA says it’s the first electric, revenue-generating minibus of its kind in the country.
“Right now in this country, there’s not really anything in a small bus platform that’s electric. There are things in a cutaway platform but not really small, taking a large bus and cutting it in half,” MVTA CEO Luther Wynder said.
The e-Jest is an electric minibus that is now making the rounds on the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority's Eagan Connect routes. (KSTP)
This 18-passenger vehicle has a 130-mile range and takes four hours to fully charge.
Rudiger says this model has multiple advantages aside from the overall environmental benefits.
“Part of the goal is longevity. Part of the goal is overall maintenance costs,” Rudiger said.
MVTA says this bus hasn’t seen anything like our Minnesota winters, so testing it out has been a crucial part of the learning process.
“This is the coldest climate to my understanding that this bus has operated in, so it’s important to see what the battery life is going to do,” Wynder said.
“We were really impressed with how it handled in the snow,” Rudiger said.
The e-Jest can be found on MVTA’s Eagan Connect routes, trips exclusively within the city. MVTA says their on-demand service is up 130% since 2019, adding 17 buses over that time.
“This smaller bus is really designed to get in those neighborhoods to pick those individuals up,” Wynder said.
Wynder says right now, the e-Jest is still in the demo stage. Based on how it’s received and potential funding, an official pilot program could bring three to five of these minibuses into service.
“Electric is the future,” Rudiger said.
It’s a concept Wynder believes other cities could pick up on.
“We don’t know what the future holds, but I think from our standpoint, so far, it looks very promising for this particular vehicle,” Wynder said.
For more information about the e-Jest, visit the MVTA’s website.