Electrified transportation represents an important sustainable option and there is no shortage of opinions, predictions and misunderstandings. The fact is, it’s happening and it’s happening now – especially in the school bus world. That’s why it’s important to consider all the facts when planning your EV fleet strategy.

Let’s go over some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding electric vehicles so we can put those concerns in the past and start building the school transportation solutions of the future.

Myth #1: It’s not worth investing the money into an electric bus fleet because the regulations and/or technologies will change.

Fact: School budgets are tight. Always have been. Always will be. If there are ways to be more efficient, the whole district benefits – including, most importantly, the students. When combined with available state and federal incentives, it’s possible that an electric bus fleet will achieve a lower total cost of ownership for the district than a fleet of diesel buses. Incentives may decrease, but as manufacturing matures and new battery chemistries and technologies are incorporated, the cost of batteries will unquestionably continue to drop.

To help make sure your transition to electric is as smooth as possible, the IC Bus® Zero Emissions team will be by your side every step of the way. They’ll not only help make sure your district has access to available grants, but they can also guide the ordering process so that each Electric CE Series is appropriately spec’d for the proposed routes. As your partners, they can also help oversee the planning and installation of your charging infrastructure which can help your district avoid any surprises after deployment and, more importantly, help prevent costly rebuilds and upgrades that may otherwise be required down the road.  

To learn more about adding EVs to your fleet, the IC Bus Zero Emissions team can walk you through all your options, answer all your questions and put you on a path to success.

Myth #2: Current charging infrastructure is insufficient and difficult.

Fact: The grid is evolving and modernizing thanks to the influx of renewable energy sources and smart grid management. Ideally, your electric bus fleet should be charged within your bus depot overnight. However, if a charge is needed outside the range radius of the bus – like during a field trip or sporting event – public charging options may be available with proper route planning.

With the right charging infrastructure and proper training, you can easily have a fleet of fully charged electric buses ready to go at the start of each day. In terms of the charging hardware, many options exist. For those who may need to add charge to their buses throughout the day, DC fast chargers can add 80% in 30 to 60 minutes depending on the size of the battery. The IC Bus Electric CE Series, for example, includes a 210-kWh battery powertrain option and 189 kWh of usable capacity that can be charged from 20% to 80% within 60 minutes – or an additional 70 miles of range per hour.

Myth #3: EV buses can’t meet my district’s needs.

Fact: While all school districts are different, overall, there is no better use case scenario for electrified transportation than the school bus. The routes are the same every day. The bus is parked overnight in a depot, and, in most cases, it’s also parked in the depot during the middle of the day. The IC Bus Electric CE Series is currently available with two battery sizes: a 315 kWh version that provides roughly 200 miles of electric bus range and a more affordable 210 kWh version with approximately 135 miles of range. 

Of course, electric bus range will vary depending on weather, terrain and, importantly, driver skill. While it’s true that extreme cold temperatures can impact battery performance, there are effective strategies - such as preheating the interior and battery while the bus is still plugged in - that can significantly improve cold weather range. Route planners can also build charging time into schedules and make sure each bus will be within range of available fast chargers if needed. 

Making sure your drivers are trained on the most efficient style of driving can also improve range while on the road. This includes taking advantage of regenerative braking and avoiding aggressive driving like fast accelerations and abrupt stops. 

Electric buses offer school districts some unique cost savings when compared with diesel buses. Since they use a smaller number of components, electric buses need fewer parts to build and have lower regular maintenance requirements.

Some of the parts that electric buses don’t need include intake components like turbochargers and EGRs, exhaust items like mufflers and diesel aftertreatment systems, and fuel components such as fuel injectors.

Electric buses really shine when it comes to routine maintenance. Here are a few of the services that you don’t need to perform on electric buses:

• Engine oil changes
• Transmission maintenance
• Air filter and fuel filter replacement

With so many fewer parts needing to be maintained and replaced, electric buses help fleets save on both labor and material costs.

When the bus is permanently taken out of service, the battery can be reused or recycled. Stationary energy storage is a great use for old battery packs, since size and weight are no longer a factor when used in this way. Two old batteries could be linked together and provide the same (or more) capacity of one new battery. In addition, valuable materials such as lithium can be extracted to produce new batteries, making recycling another critical approach to reusing EV batteries.

With so many advantages and so few drawbacks, it’s clear that electric school bus transportation represents the immediate future. IC Bus is committed to doing whatever it takes to make sure the transition is as smooth as possible. Reach out to our Zero Emissions team to get started.