With mandated electrification of all school buses in NY coming quickly down the pike as part of New York’s Green New Deal, many questions remain.
Will there be enough electricity capacity to charge the buses? And are there enough batteries available? Are the buses too heavy for rural roads and bridges?
Adding the infrastructure to provide electricity to charge the buses is expensive. Charging stations can cost up to $100,000 for a fast charge and from $5,000 to $15,000 for a slower charge. And that does not include the electricity to power it all up. The infrastructure required for each electric bus is estimated to be between $10-30,000.
The Empire Center reports that electric car maker Rivian has already said that, “all the world’s battery cell production combined represents well under 10 percent of what we will need in ten years…meaning that 90 to 95 percent of the battery supply chain does not exist.”
The report highlights that, with increased demand for the materials to make the batteries and increasing control of the manufacturing by China, the future costs and availability of the needed batteries to run these mandated programs are “highly unpredictable”.
Another issue with EV batteries in buses is that they lose 30 percent of their range every ten years and need to be replaced every 12-15 years. By comparison, a new diesel engine might cost between $4,500-13,500 while a new EV bus battery can cost up to $50,000.
The supply of electricity is also a key concern. Installing and upgrading the needed infrastructure can take years. The capacity of each bus storage site is one issue, but then the capacity of the local electric producer has to be analyzed.
Kevin Scanlon, Superintendent of Three Village School District, says, “The major issue for us, and again, we agree that you want a greener planet. We are not opposed in principle to electric buses where it makes sense and at a cost that can be absorbed. It is the one size fits all approach that is problematic.”
“It’s not a bad idea to be energy conscious, but also at the same time, the energy has to come from someplace. Where is it coming from? Is it coming from a coal fire plant? It just doesn't materialize. And, down here on the island, if the wind blows crooked we lose power in two minutes,” Scanlon added.
PSEG Long Island & LIPA are currently working on a fleet electrification study.
Elizabeth F. Flagler, PSEG Long Island, Manager, Internal and External Communications, says, “While we are currently forecasting the number of EVs that will be on Long Island over the coming years, we recognize that fleet electrification (such as electrifying school buses) will pose a challenge as these projects typically require more power than a traditional charging station.”
“We want to identify where most vehicle fleets are on Long Island and determine how much power they may require at the feeder (aka circuit) level. These results will then help us determine what utility upgrades are needed over the coming years,” Flagler added.
You have to wonder, if the power company hasn't figured this out yet, why it the mandate moving ahead with full force?
Bob Vecchio, Executive Director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association, says that “because of the way buses run now with the post-COVID bus driver shortage, each bus can run and many as three runs in the morning and then three more in the afternoon, and after that be expected to run sports and other club trips. They will have to install fast chargers and the demand will be high in an already high demand time of day.”
Local electric providers cannot rely on buses charging in the dead of night when demand is low. They will have to meet mid-day charging needs to keep the fleets running smoothly all day and for afternoon and evening activities.
Another key issue Vecchio mentioned related to the bus driver shortage is the weight of the buses. “Right now, only the full-sized buses require a CDL and the smaller buses do not need that extra license requirement because they weigh less.”
“So, the question is how much will the smaller school buses weigh and does that change the license requirement of the driver? We are already facing an extreme staff and workforce shortage for school bus drivers as it is. We do not need any more impediments to anyone becoming a driver,” Vecchio added.
The other concern is the weight of the electric buses on the roadways and some of the small bridges. The weight capacity may become an issue as well as damage the roads.
Scanlon said, “In the end, we can entertain this wonderful idea, but not right now. The 2027 deadline is just around the corner for us and too soon.”