Location: Lafayette, Indiana
Fleet Type: Two Class 8 – Coach Buses
Narrative
Lafayette Limo, Inc. is a locally owned, woman‑owned limousine, shuttle, and charter bus service based in West Lafayette/Lafayette, Indiana. With more than 40 years in business, Lafayette Limo has served as a lead shuttle service to Indianapolis International Airport and O’Hare, private charters, and local event transportation support for Purdue University and the surrounding communities. From Chicago to Indianapolis, customers have praised their reliability, affordability, cleanliness, 
and friendly staff.
In early 2025, Lafayette Limo introduced two brand‑new 100% battery‑electric 56‑passenger coach buses into their fleet. With the help of GOEVIN, Lafayette Limo was able to apply for a grant to receive two 100% electric coach buses. Initially, Lafayette Limo thought the grant would only cover one of the buses. But to the surprise of everyone, the grant allowed for two buses to be purchased. Little to everyone’s shock, the adventure had only begun.
There were several key drivers for their decision to electrify their fleet. A few decisions were identified by:
- Environmental leadership in the Greater Lafayette region by reducing carbon emissions per trip
- Operational savings, with lower fuel and maintenance costs compared to diesel or CNG vehicles
- Customer appeal, particularly among environmentally conscious riders and institutional clients such as universities
GOEVIN (Go Electric Vehicle Indiana) was able to help Lafayette Limo with early planning ensuring that the vehicles would not only meet operational needs but also integrate seamlessly into daily service. GOEVIN assisted with workshops and educational materials provided valuable guidance on charging infrastructures, including best practices for deploying both DC fast chargers and Level 2 systems.
Following the purchase, Lafayette Limo was presented with a unique opportunity: to personally transport the newly acquired battery-electric buses from Florida to their headquarters in Lafayette, Indiana. The cross-country journey spanned more than a thousand miles and served as a real-world demonstration of the vehicles’ range and charging capabilities. Seizing the moment, the company live-streamed the entire trip, documenting charging stops and sharing observations about the rapid growth of the EV charging network across the United States. The successful completion of the trip proved that electric buses are capable of long-distance travel when paired with thoughtful route planning and access to reliable charging stations.
Once the buses arrived in Lafayette, they were quickly integrated into regular service. Today, they operate multiple daily loops between Lafayette, Indianapolis, and Chicago, delivering zero-emissions transportation for hundreds of passengers each week. The benefits are already tangible: diesel fuel use has been reduced by 20, 943 gallons annually, carbon emissions have dropped significantly, and maintenance costs are lower due to the reduced mechanical complexity of electric drivetrains.
Outputs and Outcomes
Beyond the environmental and financial gains, the project has enhanced Lafayette Limo’s brand image. The company has positioned itself as a leader in sustainable transportation within Indiana, appealing to eco-conscious customers, universities, and corporate clients.
Looking ahead, Lafayette Limo plans to closely monitor the buses’ performance over the next year, with the goal of expanding electrification to more vehicles in their fleet. They also intend to share their insights and operational experience through future GOEVIN events, helping other fleet operators across the state navigate their own transition to electric transportation.
The outcomes from this work span several layers:
- The ride for passengers is quieter and provides a smoother ride.
- With this, it extends to the driver’s ability to better hear the hear the passengers, providing the best service as possible to the needs of riders.
- Lafayette does not need to worry about the fluctuation of petroleum prices.
- Lafayette Limo has decreased operational costs which has brought more stability to transportation management fiscal planning.
Best Practices & Lessons Learned
GOEVIN learned many different things with this project. They are as follows:
- With all the different elements of these new EV buses use, including a cross-country trip with charging stop coordination, communications had to exceed expectations while working with different partners. Clear communication with the bus representatives, IDEM, electricians, GOEVIN, and many more partners prevented any potential problems.
- Maximizing all the available funds for one transit business to two (2) buses took some effort but became possible. GOEVIN maximizing all the resources and strategies in order to deliver possible solutions for Lafayette Limo.
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