Everything You Need to Know About Electric School Buses

Electric school buses are hitting the road in nearly every state—but they’re still a long way from ubiquity. School districts nationwide collectively operate roughly 5,000 electric buses and have made commitments for at least 7,200 more. They emit virtually none of the toxic chemicals and unpleasant noises that emanate from America’s half-million school diesel buses every day. And in the long term, they save districts money on fuel bills. But electric buses aren’t yet a no-brainer for every district, even in the handful of states that are gradually requiring schools to abandon diesel buses entirely. Electric buses cost upfront as much as three times what a traditional diesel bus costs. Repairing them requires training and expertise that’s distinct from what a diesel bus mechanic knows. And some districts worry about the buses’ capacity to transport students in extreme weather and on lengthy routes. The federal government is doing its part to help districts make the transition. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is offering hundreds of millions of dollars in grants and rebates to bring down the cost of clean-energy buses for school districts; the latest round of applications is due Jan. 9. Districts can also claim reimbursements of between 30 and 60 percent of the cost of an electric school bus through the Direct Pay program from the Internal Revenue Service. Many states are offering grants of their own as well. For more on the benefits and challenges districts are encountering with electric buses, check out our explainer video.