Survey finds electric school buses make the grade, even in the cold

With schools back in session, more Michigan students than ever are boarding buses running on clean electric power instead of diesel fuel or gasoline. A survey finds that despite some growing pains, the new buses earn generally high marks on the job – even during cold weather when some worry about battery efficiency.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer stands with Eric Marquis, Quebec assistant deputy minister of international affairs and la Francophonie, in front of a Lion Electric Co. school bus at a September 2019 press briefing in Lansing. 

When the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) awarded $4.2 million in Fuel Transformation Program grants in September 2019 to support the purchase of the state's first 17 electric school buses and charging infrastructure, the seven public school districts receiving funds – Ann Arbor, Gaylord, Kalamazoo, Oxford, Roseville, Three Rivers, and Zeeland – were asked to answer questions about the buses’ real-world performance. (Their responses are summarized and excerpted below.)

Nearly 17,000 buses transport more than 800,000 Michigan students each school year. Investments in clean school buses are improving air quality for students and communities; lowering costs for schools, allowing more dollars to flow to the classroom; and accelerating the transition to cleaner mobility solutions and the state’s progress toward goals in the MI Healthy Climate Plan.

A fringe benefit is lack of noise pollution. Oxford schools reported driving an electric bus in the community’s Christmas parade, decorated to look like a sleigh full of presents “pulled” by several bus drivers. The bus ran so quietly, people in the crowd were heard to wonder if it was actually being pulled rather than driven.

Since the state’s initial investment in 2019, Michigan schools’ electric and clean energy fleets have continued to grow to more than 200 today:

• EGLE awarded a grant to Dean Transportation in September 2022 for an electric bus to replace a diesel used by Cadillac Public Schools.
• In November 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invested $54 million from its Clean School Bus Program – funded by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda – toward 138 new electric school buses and infrastructure for 25 Michigan school districts, from Southeast Michigan to the Upper Peninsula.
• In July 2023, Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s bipartisan fiscal year 2024 state budget included $125 million to help school systems transition to clean buses, with a focus on the communities that need them most.
• In January 2024, the CSBP announced awards of $5.93 million in grants to buy 15 clean school buses apiece for Detroit, Lansing, and Pontiac school systems. Additional funding through third-party multistate grantees was expected to purchase 10 buses in Flint; five in Redford Union No. 1 near Detroit; and two each in Mason County, Brimley, and the West Shore Educational Service District in Ludington.
• In May 2024, Michigan received $23.98 million from the CSBP to help 27 schools and districts buy 97 buses powered by electricity and three powered by propane.
• In July 2024, The Michigan Department of Education announced that 29 Michigan school districts and intermediate school districts are receiving nearly $30 million for environmentally friendly buses powered by electricity, propane, or natural gas.

Survey says ...

So, what have the early adopters shared about the service of their electric buses? Here’s an informal report card based on survey results covering fall semester 2022 from the state’s first seven districts with electric school buses – from the “A” grades to the “needs improvement” notes:

Cold-weather performance: Four of the seven districts reported no problems at all. The others noted cold-related reduction in battery performance but did not report any issues that interfered with bus use. One district said battery loss was a factor only in slippery winter conditions when regenerative braking had to be switched off. Another district said its electric buses start more quickly and smoothly than diesels in below-freezing temperatures, and that the buses offer a cooler ride than diesels in the warmer months.

Average charge times and intervals: A typical charge is just over five hours, and districts generally charge their electric buses once or twice daily.

Average daily route: 44.2 miles.

Distance driven by all 17 electric buses, July-December: 68,767 miles.

Maintenance: On average, electric buses were sidelined for maintenance, including warranty work, for 4.4 days each from July-December. Chargers were out of service for an average of 10.8 days.

Operations and maintenance cost: For the three districts that reported this figure, the average cost was $1,862. For comparison, the average fuel cost for diesel buses driven the same number of miles as the electric buses in those same districts would have been about $4,924.

In their own words: Of course, not all feedback in any transition will be 100% positive. Districts’ experiences varied somewhat depending on factors including manufacturers selected. Two districts reported initial issues with their buses, charging infrastructure, and technical support:

• “There has been quite a bit of warranty work done on both buses. They have just not been dependable like the diesels in our fleet. When they are running, our buses are fantastic. They are very quiet and easy to handle.”
• “In general, the performance of the vehicles has improved slightly as the technical service support has increased from our partners. However, all buses have not been 100% in service as only some chargers provide support to the buses. With the amount of time in and out of service, there have been limited opportunities to capture this feedback. We are very interested experiencing the benefits of the technology.”

Other districts shared more uniformly positive experiences with their buses:

• “They handle great in all types of weather. Overall, they are a great bus to have in the fleet. Would like a few more to add for in-town routes. There is no noise inside the bus – no engine noise. Students really like the overall atmosphere of the bus.”
• “Any driver that has driven the electric buses has enjoyed driving them. The acceleration is not quite the same as a traditional gas/diesel bus, as well as braking. It definitely takes some getting used to.”
• “Overall performance indicates the electric buses are reliable with very little routine maintenance. Driving technique by using the regenerative braking prolongs range and battery power retention.”
• “EV buses provide a cleaner environment, reducing the amount of greenhouse gases (released) into our community and reducing noise pollution. Students and drivers find the ride is more pleasant and comfortable because of the noise reduction. The students enjoy learning how the electric buses operate by providing classroom activities and ride-alongs.”
• “Air quality and noise (reduction) continue to be top benefits of driving these buses.”
• “The drivers who drive the bus enjoy the experience and say its performance is compatible with other buses’. The most common things we hear are no noise or emissions.”