Canadian-based manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles Lion Electric Company has received an order for 1,000 electric school buses, which will replace diesel buses from early next year.
The order from Student Transportation of Canada, which is going to access the government’s Zero Emission Transit Fund, would make it the largest operator of zero-emission school buses in North America.
It would eliminate an estimated 23,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year as well as significantly reducing noise pollution for the communities in which they operate, according to Lion Electric Company.
“This large-scale deployment would position Canada as a clear leader in the electrification of school transportation, in great part due to innovative programs like the ZETF, said Marc Bedard, the CEO and founder of Lion Electric.
STC’s parent company, Student Transportation of America (STA), is running an electric vehicle pilot program in the US with electric buses either deployed or planned for deployment in select markets including Los Angeles in California, Trenton in New Jersey, Barre in Vermont, and others.
The pilot program is tracking battery life, monitoring component life, and collecting other key data which will give the company vital information on the viability and performance of electric vehicles in distinctly different operating environments.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.