Amtrak's first electric bus takes off

Amtrak and the Washington Department of Transportation launched their first electric bus this week.

Driving the news: The bus will replace one of the diesel-powered buses that makes daily round trips between Seattle and Bellingham, Amtrak spokesperson Kelly Just told Axios.

• The MTRWestern bus is the first electronic vehicle in the Amtrak National Network.
• It can make the nearly 200-mile round trip between Seattle and Bellingham with stops in Everett and Mount Vernon on one charge.
• According to Amtrak, the electric bus will save approximately 10,000 gallons of diesel per year, cutting CO2 emissions by 109 tons annually.

State of play: This is another step in the region's move toward electrifying transportation.

• The Seattle City Council passed legislation this week that aims to install at least 10 new electric vehicle charging stations in the city over the next two years.
• Washington State Ferries recently received three federal grants totaling $11.6 million to help modernize and electrify its ferry fleet and is currently taking bids to convert six existing ferries to hybrid electric.

What they're saying: "Adding a bus to our fleet that is powered by clean energy further affirms our commitment to offer environmentally friendly travel options in the Pacific Northwest," Washington Secretary of Transportation Roger Millar said in a statement.