The state of Virginia is taking a huge step forward towards greener transport by ordering 50 of Daimler’s Thomas Built Electric Buses. This initiative will be the biggest deployment of electric school buses that the United States has ever seen. Virginia power company Dominion Energy plans to displace 1,000 diesel-powered vehicles in Virginia schools starting in 2020.
The Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school bus has 134 miles of range and comes with advanced battery and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. The e-buses cost about $120,000 more than diesel models, but Dominion Energy is paying the difference and installing charging stations at select schools too.
In 2017, Thomas Built Buses first debuted its Jouley electric school bus. At that time, it had 160 kWh of battery power, capable of covering 160 km (100 mi) on each charge. Thanks to the battery tech from Proterra, that number is now higher, at 220 kWh, estimated to cover about 215 km (134 mi).
The Jouley can be recharged in about three hours using Proterra’s 60-kW DC fast charger. V2G functionality allows them to feed any extra power back into the grid. Also, the buses can be fitted with a variety of safety equipment, and collision avoidance systems are also available.
Caley Edgerly, CEO of Thomas Built Buses, said:
“We are thrilled to lead the way in this groundbreaking initiative that is paving the way for a cleaner future and setting the bar for future electric vehicle conversions across the country. We believe electric school buses to be the future of pupil transportation. They offer quieter operation, lower operating costs, and zero emissions to the benefit of students, parents, school districts, and local communities.”
This initiative is just the start of an even larger goal that Dominion Energy is planning. By 2025, the power company aims to replace 50% of Virginia’s diesel school buses with electric ones, and 100% of them replaced by 2030.
Well, if you have a diesel-powered vehicle at home, it is not always possible to replace it immediately. So, maintaining it is an ideal solution to keep the engine going for long. Consider a DPF filter to reduce emissions from your vehicle by trapping soot and ash.
