Electric School Bus
Driving Toward A Greener, Safer Future
Driving Toward A Greener, Safer Future
A Starting Point for School Bus Repowers
Is your school district ready to make the switch? Repowering existing diesel school buses with electric motors has great potential to go electric faster, at a lower cost and with less material waste than purchasing new electric school buses. Forth and the World Resources Institute's Electric School Bus Initiative created this resource as a starting point for school districts interested in repowering their fleet.
Oregon's First Electric School Bus Repower
Forth is leading Oregon’s first diesel to electric repower project in partnership with the Beaverton School District. Forth secured funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant to launch its electric school bus program. Through the program, Forth will help school districts across Oregon apply for federal funding available from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Forth has also partnered with the World Resource Institute’s Electric School Bus Initiative to accelerate the adoption of electric school buses.
Contact Lucia Mosca for more information.
What Are Electric School Buses?
How are they different from traditional school buses?
Electric buses are powered by electricity rather than diesel, gas or propane. They have zero tailpipe emissions. This means they are safer for children and communities than school buses with internal combustion engines.
Where are electric school buses a good fit?
With an average range of 120 miles, they can cover most school bus routes. Currently, more than 600 electric school buses are operating in urban, rural and suburban school districts in the U.S. and Canada and are performing optimally in sub-zero temperatures.
How long do they take to charge?
The charge time with DC Fast chargers is generally around 2-4 hours. Bus batteries can be charged overnight with Level 2 chargers.
Is there funding available?
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program is providing a minimum of $2.5 billion nationwide over five years for electric school buses. Another $2.5 billion is also available for buses that may be either electric or propane.
Reports & Resources
Report: The Benefits of Electric School Bus Repowers
Resource: How to Repower a School Bus to Electric - An Introduction for School Districts