How does it work?

When we consider the developing lung of a child, it's no secret electric school buses are the best option. When considering carbon and other combustible engine emissions, and their effects on climate change, electric school buses win again. The trouble? Upfront costs. This is where Vehicle-to-Grid technology comes in. 

A school bus running a 2-hour route before and after school each day runs this route about 180 days each year. It sits still all summer. All told, for 91% of each calendar year, the bus just sits there doing nothing. Schools invest considerable money into these assets. For 91% of the year, they provide ZERO return on investment. Enter the bi-directional electric school bus and charger.

Bidirectional buses and chargers allow electricity to flow both ways. Combine them with software like NUVVE's GIVE Platform and the buses become energy assets when they are not transporting kids. How does it all work? Each night, during non-peak hours, the charger fills bus batteries with energy. After the morning route, the bus is plugged back in, providing power to the grid while it is not in use. The bus leaves again for the afternoon route with plenty of charge to get kids home from school. It plugs back in upon return and pushes/pulls energy based on the needs of the utility grid. During the summer months, the school bus remains plugged in to stabilize the grid 24/7, becoming an energy asset to the school when not in use.

Leveraging electric school buses as energy assets opens the door to new financing options. New financial packages allow school districts to make monthly or annual payments similar to what they currently spend on traditional diesel school buses. Finally! The air is cleaner. Emissions are less. The cost is the same.