Six Benefits of Choosing Electric Buses

All around the world, electric buses are sweeping the public transportation industry, increasing the number of electric vehicles (EVs) entering the market.

Recently, Schetky Bus & Van Sales contributed to this worldwide transition after selling electric buses to several Northwestern school districts. Highline, Orcas Island, Lopez Island, Elma and Mary M. Knight are among the school districts adding the EVs to their 2021 fleets.

In response to the hefty sale, Schetky Bus and Van Sales was featured on various public transport news platforms nationwide, including Bus Ride Mag, School Transportation News, School Bus Fleet and Park News.

This sale is only the beginning for Schetky and just the start for electric public transportation worldwide. Due to Schetky’s partnership with both Thomas Built Bus and Proterra, the company is ready to lead EV sales and distribution in 2021. Devin Denney, director of transportation for Highline Public Schools was new to EVs when Schetky first got in contact with the district. 

“The idea of pairing the Proterra Drivetrain and charging system with a Thomas Conventional bus just made sense to us,” Denney said. 

David Schetky, co-owner of Schetky Bus & Van Sales, is looking forward to the future of the company and EV sales. 

“When it comes to electric vehicles, Schetky has been at the forefront of this movement for both School and Commercial buses. We’ve got some exciting announcements on the horizon, utilizing our best-in-class electric and alternative fuel partnerships. We’re capable of selling new EV buses, and retrofitting fleets to upgrade them with electric drivetrains. Schetky is positioned to offer school districts a turnkey approach to electrifying their fleets. No one else is doing this.”

Without a doubt, EVs, and buses in particular, carry plenty of benefits when compared to standard vehicles, but what makes them truly worth the investment? From costs to environmental-friendliness, electric buses work to exceed all expectations. These are a few reasons why you should consider adding electric buses to your fleet.

 

Fuel Savings

In comparison to standard diesel buses, electric buses save a significant amount in fuel costs. Since EVs run purely on electricity, there is no need to fuel up. Instead, the bus just needs to be charged similarly to regular household electronics.

Over the lifetime of an electric bus, the American Public Power Association estimates that an owner can save $400,000 in fuel costs. In fact, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, the cost to power an electric vehicle is 2.5 times cheaper than it is to fill up a diesel vehicle. In addition, prices of electricity at public fill-up stations are relatively stable and likely to decrease in the future as EVs become increasingly more popular.

Additionally, the cost of the battery technology that powers the majority of electric buses is rapidly declining. In 2018, the lithium-ion battery technology price had dropped 80% since 2010 and is only projected to get cheaper.

 

Maintenance Costs

Since electric vehicles have much fewer moving parts than standard vehicles, maintenance costs are significantly lower. Advanced Energy estimates that in comparison to a diesel bus, an electric bus saves around $185,000 in maintenance costs alone.

An electric bus eliminates almost all engine maintenance. The vehicles have no fluids, no filters and no exhaust system — which are three of the most common parts needing repairs in standard diesel buses. According to the American Public Power Association, the braking systems of electric buses last longer due to a lack of fluids. Even repairs as simple as oil changes are not needed for an electric bus. 

 

Environmentally Friendly

A major pull for electric vehicles, especially in more recent years, is the gravitation towards green initiatives. According to Wired, emissions from transportation make up almost a quarter of total emissions worldwide. In fact, in Bogotá, Columbia, buses make up 5% of the total number of vehicles in the city but produce 25% of the city’s carbon dioxide (or CO2) emissions and 40% of the nitrogen oxide emissions. 

Electric buses help minimize total emissions from transportation. Since EVs are powered purely by electricity, these vehicles release little to no emissions. In turn, they create cleaner air for the community and better overall health for the people in it. In addition, by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, electric buses work to eliminate climate change worldwide.

For school districts, the addition of EVs to their fleets provides the opportunity to apply for environmental-related government grants and other incentives. For example, California has a program titled “California’s Hybrid and Zero-emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project,” or HVIP, that grants incentives as high as $235,000 for electric school buses sold within the state. Additionally, the Federal Transit Administration agreed to the Low or No Emission Program which offers funding to local and state governments to help purchase electric or hybrid public transport buses. In 2019, this project alone allocated almost $85 million in grants.

The fumes coming from the exhaust of a diesel bus can also create negative health effects for students who regularly ride the bus to school. According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, students who are bus-riders are more likely than those who don’t ride the bus to develop respiratory-related diseases. It can also worsen the effects of already present respiratory diseases including asthma. Also, exposure to diesel soot from standard buses and ground-level ozone from the diesel exhaust has been found to increase the risk of cancer.

 

Minimal Noise Pollution

It’s no secret that buses are hard to miss on the street. Other than their large, dominating presence, they tend to be loud enough for a whole neighborhood to hear. However, because electric buses don’t have a diesel engine, they are much quieter.

Not only does this benefit those living near a regular bus stop, but it also provides a more relaxing ride for passengers. No exhaust and minimal vibration creates a more enjoyable environment and allows for better conversation between riders. 

 

Updated Technology

Because of the recent flock towards EVs, state-of-the-art technology is usually a given for electric buses. Advanced Energy claims that the size and capacity of electric bus batteries provide an opportunity for vehicle-to-grid applications. This technology would allow the bus batteries to store energy and then in turn act as a spare battery meaning the vehicle could simultaneously give and receive power when charging. In the future, this could work as a method to manage energy demand during peak charging periods and support renewable energy. 

At Schetky, the electric bus platforms we offer are equipped with new software that gives us the opportunity to monitor your system remotely. This means, we can see if battery packs are performing at the ideal level, and we can also upgrade the bus’ system to provide preventative maintenance through the online system. Even after your purchase, we are able to continue providing service to your vehicle and monitor the activity on a regular basis. 

Our electric bus and van conversions also abide by the strict guidelines and requirements of the chassis manufacturers. We are able to provide an electric conversion that is curated to your specific operation. Our electric conversion operators include:

  • Electric Bus
  • Electric Shuttle Bus
  • Electric School Bus
  • Electric Work Trucks
  • Electric Delivery Trucks
  • Electric Cargo Trucks
  • Electric Refuse Trucks
  • Electric Mobility Vans
  • Electric Passenger Vans
  • And more!

 

Early-adopting

According to the American Public Power Association, buses account for almost half of the total public transportation usage across the nation. In 2019, 528 fully electric buses took the streets in America — which was a 29% increase since 2018 alone. 

California, New York City and Seattle all took a pledge to start working towards transitioning all public transit buses to electric. This means by the year 2045, 33% of buses in America are projected to be electric. Also, just this year, President Joe Biden called to add electric vehicles to the government’s fleet. 

Undoubtedly, electric vehicles are the future of public transportation, and with Schetky, you can become part of the early-adopters. Currently, there are about 425,000 electric buses taking the streets worldwide. However, 99% of those are located in China, meaning less than 1% of buses in the United States are electric. As an early adopter, you have the opportunity to be part of the start of the future.

Schetky and the Future of EVs

At Schetky, our goal is to continue to provide a large selection of electric vehicles and stay updated with the latest technologies and models. Without a doubt, the advantages of switching to an electric vehicle are undeniable. Not only can the switch to electric save you a considerable amount of money, but they also provide communities with cleaner air to breathe.

We are proud to lead the way with green initiatives. We are working to make it easier for school districts across the nation to choose electric buses. Today, electric vehicles are becoming an essential part of meeting climate change goals both internationally and across the nation. 

As America’s longest-established, family-owned bus dealer, we are here to provide you with an extensive inventory of electric vehicles as well as standard buses and vans. Make sure to keep an eye out for Schetky electric school buses and electric vans across the country!