top of page
Electric Charging Station

Charging & Infrastructure

Crucial to successfully operating an electric fleet is the supporting infrastructure. High performance electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) is needed keep buses charged and ready to fulfill the needs of their route. This section aims to familiarize readers with EVSE and give them the knowledge and tools to run their own electric school bus fleets

Electric Car Charger

Charger Types

  • Electric vehicle chargers can be use either alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC)

  • AC chargers operate at lower power levels and are have lower upfront costs, whereas DC chargers are faster and higher powered, with higher upfront costs

Utility Pole

Smart Charging and V2G

  • Smart charging strategies allow districts to optimize their fleet charging in a cost-effective and energy efficient manner

  • Vehicle to Grid and Vehicle to Building technology can allow buses to function as mobile batteries, providing increased site resilience and an additional revenue stream for the district

Architect on Building Site

Site Infrastructure and Utility Engagement

  • Installing the appropriate school bus EVSE will often require an infrastructure upgrade

  • It is critical that the district maintain an ongoing dialogue with their utility in order quickly and efficiently make these upgrades

  • Utilities such as PG&E and SCE have dedicated electric school bus fleet programs through which they provide the district with financial and technical assistance

bottom of page