The Greater Victoria School District is adding four new electric school buses to its fleet.
According to the Times Colonist, the new buses will have a range of 200 km, which is more than enough to handle day-to-day operations.
Although the upfront cost of the buses is around $200,000 more than a traditional diesel school bus, the costs over the bus’s lifetime will make the investment worth it.
With current diesel prices, 200 km of range of diesel will cost around $180, while a charge on the battery only costs about $13.
British Columbia’s first electric school buses hit the roads this week on Vancouver Island
Although electric school buses are not the norm in British Columbia, nearby Sooke School District has been using electric school buses since May of last year.
A growing number of school districts in the province have jumped on the electric bus train.
There are now over 15 school districts in the province that are running at least one electric school bus.
The new buses will provide transportation for students who live outside of walking limits and for field trips.
The Greater Victoria School District had financial assistance from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation and federal incentives.
In total, the school district was responsible for about 30 per cent of the cost.
The buses are already on the road, so keep your eye out if you are in the garden city.
