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With more than 490,000 school buses transporting over 20 million riders each day, the U.S. school bus system is the country’s largest form of mass transportation. According to the World Resources Institute, more than 90% of Type C and D buses on the road today are powered by diesel fuel and approximately 3,400 (less than 1%) currently run on electricity. However, school districts have purchased or received funding for an additional 8,700 electric buses that will hit the road in the coming years.
Electric school bus adoption is increasing as school districts are transitioning to cleaner options thanks to increased production, federal and state funding, and new technology and infrastructure advancements. Electric buses offer the benefit of zero tailpipe emissions and are currently capable of completing routes in urban, rural and suburban communities, traveling between 75 and 210 miles on a single charge.
We took a deep dive into some of the latest advancements for electric school buses and highlighted some of the electric bus options available for order today.
Increased Federal and State Funding Is Aiding Electric Bus Adoption
More and more school districts are investing in electric school buses thanks to historic federal and state funding geared toward replacing existing diesel buses with low- and zero-emissions alternatives.
One of the largest current opportunities for federal funding is the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program (CSBP), created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The CSBP will provide $5 billion over five years (2022 through 2026) to help school districts electrify their fleets. As of June 2024, the CSBP has awarded $2.7 billion to 1,290 school districts, which will go toward implementing charging equipment and replacing more than 8,600 school buses. All public school districts in the U.S. are eligible to apply for funding through the CSBP during each funding period. Visit epa.gov to learn more.
Many states are also awarding grants and funding to assist public school districts with replacing or retrofitting diesel-fuel buses. Our experts at Rush Truck Centers can help you find and capitalize on federal and state grant money and incentive programs, from seeking out eligible programs and submitting applications to implementation, reporting and compliance. Contact us today to learn more.
Vehicle-to-Grid Technology Serves as Potential Energy Source
Did you know that electric school buses have the potential to return stored energy back to the power grid? Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology enables the flow of energy from the battery of an electric vehicle back to the grid, where it can be used during times of peak energy usage or during power outages. Due to their mobility and vast numbers throughout the country, school buses equipped with V2G technology have the unique potential to serve as mobile energy sources to provide power for emergency shelters or meet other needs during extreme weather events.
School bus batteries store so much energy, in fact, that if every diesel school bus was replaced with a V2G-capable electric bus, over 60 gigawatt-hours could be added to the country’s energy stores. To put this into perspective, 1 gigawatt is enough energy to power approximately 750,000 homes.
Not only do advancements in V2G technology have the potential to make electric school buses a source of emergency power, but they also offer the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from both the transportation and power generation sectors. A 2016 study found that a V2G-capable school bus could eliminate more than 1,000 metric tons of CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions over the lifetime of the bus. And the use of V2G eliminates enough pollution to completely offset the air pollution damage caused by charging electric school buses.
Manufacturers are continuing to improve V2G technology, and experts are continually exploring advancements. With effective collaboration between policymakers, utilities and school districts, the full benefits of V2G technology can be unlocked.
Electric Options From Our Bus Manufacturing Partners
Bus manufacturers are consistently innovating and adapting their electric school bus models to feature the latest environmentally friendly and child-safe technologies, and new electric bus manufacturers continue to enter the market. As of 2023, there were 24 Type A, C and D electric school bus models available in the market from nine manufacturers, many of which are on their third or fourth generation of electric buses. Below, we’ve highlighted the zero-emissions electric options available from our industry-leading Rush Truck Centers manufacturing partners.
IC Bus Electric CE Series
Launched in July 2023, the next generation IC Bus CE Series school bus is available with an electric powertrain capable of operating at a peak power of 255 kW, or 342 horsepower. Fleets have two battery pack options: a 210 kWh battery with a 135-mile range and a 315 kWh battery with the longest single-charge range in the industry, 200+ miles. Alternating current (AC) and direct current fast charging (DCFC) capabilities come standard, and the zero-emissions powertrain offers V2G compatibility.
Knowing that school districts can’t realistically invest in electrifying their fleets without the proper charging infrastructure in place, Navistar entered a partnership with Quanta Services in 2023 to develop comprehensive charging solutions. The partnership with Quanta, a leading energy infrastructure provider, will seek to assist IC Bus customers in implementing charging capabilities and adopting battery-electric vehicles quickly and efficiently.
Learn More About the Electric CE Series
Blue Bird Electric Buses
Blue Bird was the first to introduce an electric school bus option back in 1994 and continues to offer efficient and affordable electric-powered buses. The Type C Blue Bird Vision Electric comes with the option for a 155 kWh or 196 kWh lithium-ion battery capable of achieving a range of up to 130 miles on a single charge. And the Type D rear engine All American Electric school bus features a 155 kWh battery and a range of 120 miles. Both the Vision Electric and All American Electric zero-emissions models feature V2G technology and can be charged fully overnight in six to eight hours using standard Level 2 AC and Level 3 DCFC. Blue Bird’s electric buses have lower maintenance costs than traditional buses and quieter operation that allows drivers to hear passengers and better concentrate on their surroundings.
Learn More About the Vision Electric
Learn More About the All American Electric
Micro Bird G5 Electric
Micro Bird’s G5 Electric Type A school bus is built on a Ford chassis powered by a zero-emissions lithium-ion battery. Micro Bird’s exclusive two-speed transmission maximizes torque at low speeds and promotes battery autonomy, all contributing to a range of over 100 miles per charge. The G5 Electric’s 88 kWh battery also offers V2G capabilities and can reach a full charge in just two hours with Level 3 DCFC or seven hours with Level 2 AC charging. Four driving modes optimize the autonomy of the vehicle and the comfort of passengers, while regenerative braking improves battery performance on urban school bus routes.
Learn More About the G5 Electric
Collins Ford E-Transit School Bus
The new zero-emissions electric school bus option from Collins is built on a Ford E-Transit chassis and is designed to deliver greater efficiency than previous offerings, as well as flexible floor plans to meet the needs of every school district. The fully electric powertrain on the Collins Ford E-Transit features a single-speed transmission and 68 kWh lithium-ion battery pack capable of a range of 100 miles and a peak power rating of 198 kW, or 266 hp. The Ford E-Transit school bus is equipped with Level 2 AC charging and standard Level 3 DC fast charging capabilities as well as standard hill start assist and Ford’s AdvanceTrac electronic stability control technology.
Learn More About the Ford E-Transit
Electric School Buses From Rush Bus Centers
Rush Bus Centers is the country’s premier bus dealer network serving school districts in Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Idaho, Utah, Texas and Ohio. From bus sales to service to parts, we offer a full line of school and commercial buses from Blue Bird, Micro Bird, IC Bus and Collins.
Our expert sales staff can spec the right bus to meet your unique needs within your budget guidelines. Contact Rush Bus Centers today to learn more about electrifying your fleet.
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