Electric Buses: Battery Degradation and Depot vs Opportunity Charging Costs

[Sophia_S]

I'm a transportation analyst for a mid-sized city, and we're in the early feasibility stage of transitioning a portion of our public bus fleet to electric buses. While the environmental benefits are clear, I'm tasked with building a realistic cost-benefit analysis that goes beyond the sticker price. For municipal planners or transit authorities who have implemented or studied electric bus programs, what have been the most significant operational challenges and unexpected costs? I'm particularly interested in real-world data on battery degradation in different climates, the true infrastructure demands for depot charging versus opportunity charging, and how the maintenance cost savings compared to diesel actually materialize when factoring in training for technicians and parts availability.