Despite the funding, some local educators and school districts aren’t satisfied, and say that political and economic leaders haven’t shown enough support if the state is to meet its clean air goals.
“We’ve had over 120 dirty air days this year. The winter is coming, and that’s when we see particulate matter increase,” saida Sierra Club campaign leader. “So Southern California really needs these school buses to electrify as quickly as possible.” Reports say that there are 11 companies making electric school buses sold in California today, buses that can drive between 100 and 155 miles on one charge. But the transition can be costly: electric buses start at around $270,000 each, and can rise to more than $400,000 for models that can carry up to 90 students. Charging
can add a few hundred thousand dollars, plus require significant space and conforming to permits and other red tape.