When the new school year starts up in September, students in Kootenay-Columbia School District 20 will be catching rides to school in an electric school bus.
SD20 took delivery of their first electric school bus last week, with drivers getting behind the wheel to get familiar with the new EV. One of those drivers is Brian Witherspoon, who said the biggest difference compared to the old diesel school bus is the lack of vibrations and smooth ride.
The bus can travel 220km on a full charge, more than enough range to get students to and from school. At the end of the day it will be plugged in at the new charging infrastructure that has been installed in the district’s maintenance facility.
Also Read: British Columbia’s first electric school buses hit the roads this week on Vancouver Island
Not only will it be environmentally friendly, the electric school bus is also expected to save the district a lot of money. Diesel fuel would clost about $250 to travel 220km, while the equivalent amount of electricity will cost just $50.
Then there is the maintenance, which will save more than $10,000 over its lifetime.
SD20 expects to have the bus fully operational in time for school starting again in September. It has already ordered two more electric buses which should join the fleet by January next year.
Source: Castlegar News
