The frozen smoke-belching school buses of Minnesota, originally slated for a retrofit with diesel engines in 2012, are now facing a new proposition.
Recent evidence from a small Colorado town indicates that a different kind of retrofit may be necessary – this time to equip them with electric motors and batteries. The West Grand School District has discovered that in the harsh winter conditions, with temperatures plummeting to
-30°F, their electric buses have surpassed their diesel counterparts in terms of both operational costs and reliability.
While critics of electric vehicles (EVs) are often swift to point out the diminished range of battery packs in extreme temperatures, residents of Minnesota and Colorado require no reminder of the frigid mornings that an leave conventional vehicles stranded
Kremmling, Colorado, known as one of the coldest towns in the nation, exemplifies this reality. However, despite its chilling climate, the local school district serving approximately 1,500 residents embarked on the adoption of electric buses in 2020.
This transition was made possible through grants from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) representative, Casey Becker, said, “What we are seeing is that these buses are doing great in cold weather they still maintain a battery charge even when it’s cold.”
West Grand County School District Director of Transportation, Bethany Aurin, adds, “It averages 26 cents per mile and the diesel buses, just for fuel not including oil changes, filters, lubes, is 58 cents per mile.”
The shift towards electric buses is not confined to Kremmling alone. Becker also told Fox 9 News that across Colorado, 49 electric school buses are poised to revolutionize transportation in nine school districts.
From Summit County to Steamboat Springs, the quiet hum of electric motors will soon replace the rumble of diesel engines. It’s a transformation that signifies more than just a change in propulsion; it’s a shift towards a cleaner, greener future.
See more about this development in the video below:
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