Distributed Energy Resources, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage  -  December 8, 2023

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Electrify Bus Fleet

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) in Charlotte, North Carolina announced the initial deployment of three electrified school buses and three chargers.

The addition of the electric buses was made possible with funding from Phase II of the North Carolina Volkswagen Settlement, a $68 million fund to reduce NOx emissions and improve air quality. 

The electric buses will provide transportation for 105,000 students each day on 836 buses that make up the fleet’s daily rotation. 

Electrification-as-a-Service (EaaS) provider Highland Electric Fleets assisted with the school’s grant application and will provide charging infrastructure implementation.

"We are extremely excited to join the ranks of school transportation systems who are embracing new technology for their fleets," said Brian Schultz, Chief Operations Officer for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, in a statement. "The buses will also reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses."

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) is responsible for providing 43 electric buses to CMS, which is home to North Carolina’s largest school bus fleet. The electrified buses will reduce more than 126 tons of NOx emissions over their lifetimes.

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