Iowa City's electric bus fleet is stalled, waits for parts amid manufacturer's bankruptcy
The city's four Proterra ZX5 battery electric buses are out of service because the company that manufactured the buses, Proterra, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2023. Iowa City has been waitlisted for replacement parts and other repairs for at least two years.
Proterra was bought out by another California-based electric vehicle company, PhoenixEV, after it filed for bankruptcy. The city is working with PhoenixEV to get the necessary parts and repair support that it needs, Iowa City Transportation Director Darian Nagle-Gamm told the Press-Citizen.
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However, PhoenixEV has not provided "a concrete time" for the delivery of parts or repairs, Nagle-Gamm said.
Iowa City and electric bus company have brief history
Proterra was founded in 2004 and became a publicly traded company in 2021, Reuters reported.
A federal grant helped the city pay for about $3 million of the approximately $4 million cost for the Proterra fleet and related charging equipment. The city ordered the buses in 2020 and 2021, well before Proterra filed for bankruptcy.
The electric buses debuted in January 2022.
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Other cities have struggled with their fleet of Proterra-built buses. The Miami Herald reported in February 2025 that Miami-Dade and Broward Counties purchased more than 100 buses for $126 million, but only "five to seven" were operational. Most broke down within a year, the Herald reported.
"Like many communities, we are disappointed by the manufacturing issues with the Proterra buses and the lack of support in resolving ongoing parts and technical issues," Nagle-Gamm told the Press-Citizen. "We are actively exploring all available options to ensure a reliable and sustainable transit system for our community."
Iowa City plans to order electric buses from new company
Iowa City will continue expanding its fleet of electric transit despite the setbacks with Proterra buses. Climate action is one of Iowa City's values in its latest strategic plan.
The city plans to purchase several electric buses from Gillig, the same company that manufactures its diesel buses. Nagle-Gamm said the company is a "long-standing and reliable partner" with Iowa City Transit. Gillig has manufactured vehicles for more than 100 years, according to its website. The company also manufactures battery-electric buses.
Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at rhansen@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Iowa City's electric buses are out of service as city awaits repairs
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