CALSTART Releases Updated Zero-Emission School Bus Report
for the United States

Report covers policies, costs and funding opportunities associated with school bus fleet electrification across the country. 

Pasadena, CA – CALSTART is pleased to announce the release of this year’s Zeroing in on Electric School Buses (ESB) report, an annual report funded through the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP). As of December 2022, 3,043 electric school buses have been awarded, ordered, delivered or deployed in the United States. As of the report’s release date, the EPA’s 2022 Clean School Bus Rebate program awardees list had not been finalized; therefore, the total number of adopted ESBs in this report does not include awards from this funding program.  

With the allocation of federal funding and complementary state and local funding opportunities, electric school bus adoption is gaining momentum across the country. California, which once again tops the list of states for ESB adoption, has benefitted from strong governmental support in its school bus transition. 

“The road to a 100% zero-emissions future requires bringing school buses on board with the vision of a California with clean air. Through incentive programs and grants, California has invested over $1.5 billion to fund the transition toward zero-emission school buses, which in turn helps to create healthier communities for our children,” says Dr. Steven Cliff, Executive Officer, California Air Resources Board. 

Other key points in the report: 

  • Top 5 ESB adoption states: California (1689), Maryland (336), Florida (218), Virginia (152), New Jersey (90)  
  • Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, Connecticut, and New York saw significant growth in ESB adoption. 
  • State funding programs and policies are playing a major role in ESB adoption.
  • School districts are seeking alternative financing opportunities and repowers as a way to address the high upfront cost of electric school buses.   

“Despite some of the barriers to adoption, such as the upfront cost, school districts have more support available to them than ever to help ease the transition to electric school buses. It’s clear from the data that school districts are eager to electrify with increases in adoption and program participation happening across the U.S. ” says Rachel Chard, National Program Manager–Electric School Buses, CALSTART.  

CALSTART began tracking ESB purchases in 2021 through the inaugural edition of Zeroing in on ESBs, which was issued in response to the increase in adoption of ESBs. Zeroing in on ESBs is part of CALSTART’s “Zeroing in on” series of zero-emission technologies inventories. Other reports in the series include Zeroing in on ZEBs, which focuses on transit buses in the U.S. and Canada, and Zeroing in on ZETs, which shows the transition to zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty trucks throughout North America. 

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About CALSTART

A national nonprofit with offices in New York, Michigan, Colorado, California, Washington, D.C., Central Europe, and partners worldwide, CALSTART works with more than 300 member companies and agency innovators to build a prosperous, efficient, and clean high-tech transportation industry. We knock down barriers to modernization and the adoption of clean vehicles. CALSTART is changing transportation for good.