Electric School Buses Market Study:
A Synthesis of Current Technologies, Costs, Demonstrations, and Funding

School buses form a critical part of the transportation network responsible for bringing U.S. students to school every day. Each year, approximately 480,000 school buses travel nearly 3.5 billion miles to transport students in every state and municipality, enabling millions of children to receive an education that will form the basis of their professional lives. Many children may not have alternative transportation options and therefore rely heavily upon these buses to get to school. However, current school bus technologies pose short- and long-term hazards. Most school buses in the nation’s aging fleet are powered by gasoline, diesel, or propane fuels that emit dangerous criteria pollutants and greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere. These pollutants not only contribute to anthropogenic climate change but can also cause significant, long-term health effects on students riding in and around school buses. To address the negative impacts of fossil fuel-powered school bus use, government agencies, school districts, and school bus manufacturers have begun to demonstrate electric school bus (ESB) technology.

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