When Will the American Yellow School Bus Go Electric?

American President Joe Biden’s wish is coming true as the electric transition of the famous yellow and black school bus begins, even involving the Chinese manufacturer BYD.

In the United States, school buses are easily recognizable among all other vehicles. Painted in yellow and black since the 1940s, these buses must be highly visible for safety reasons. The color even has a specific code “13432”, chosen because it stimulates both the red and green cones of our eyes! The buses are equipped with stop signs and signals at stops to prevent cars from overtaking when children are boarding or alighting.

A plan to electrify American school buses

Today, there are 500,000 on American roads, but they are outdated as of 2022. Their last major regulatory update dates back to 1977. However, modernizations are underway, along with variations depending on the states.

The current president, Joe Biden, has launched and secured approval for a modernization plan. Within a $1.2 trillion package, $7.5 billion are dedicated to the electric transition.

Indeed, the famous American school bus will become electric to transport 26 million students quietly and with zero local emissions. Currently, 95% of these buses run on diesel, with the rest using natural gas (GNV) or biodiesel (up to 20%).

However, the amount allocated appears modest compared to the ambitions. At the beginning of 2021, Democrats estimated that around $20 to $25 billion would be necessary to electrify the entire fleet.

An example of an electric bus… Chinese

Among the candidates for the American school bus fleet, I highlight BYD. The Chinese manufacturer specializes in electric heavy vehicles. It has produced nearly 60,000 electric buses worldwide. Recently, the brand unveiled its small Type A model for the United States, the smallest of the 3 standard bus formats (along with C and D). The length varies between 6.98 and 8.14 meters across 3 versions.

The BYD Type A electric bus is therefore yellow and black. Nothing extraordinary, and it can carry up to 30 students. The LFP (lithium iron phosphate) batteries provide a range of 140 miles (225 kilometers). BYD states that the energy and maintenance costs are 60% lower than diesel.

Its little extra: bidirectional charging. Thanks to V2G (Vehicle to Grid) technology, the bus can return some energy to the electrical grid. A significant advantage in a country where infrastructure is sometimes sparse in certain regions. The bus can even power the school it serves! Besides this feature, the Type A offers a maximum continuous power of 150 kW (DC) and 10.2 kW (AC).

Its price is unknown, but it also has a larger sibling in the Type D format. At 11 meters long, with a capacity of 84 seats and an empty weight of 13 tons, it requires large batteries. The LFP packs of 274 or 300 kWh provide a range of 250 km per charge. However, its peak power reaches only 110 kW, with a consistent 19.2 kWh in AC.

Read also: A new hydrogen bus in operation in France