Currently, across Canada, there are between 45,000 and 50,000 school buses, with 70% of those still running on diesel. Prince Edward Island is currently leading the way with 25% of its fleet electrified, with 82 ESBs out of a fleet of three-hundred-twenty-two. British Columbia and Québec follow with about 5% of their respective fleets electrified, although they’re expecting hundreds of more ESBs in the coming years. Ontario and New Brunswick are respectively at 0.1% and 0.08%, while Nova Scotia has 0 ESBs out of its fleet of 1,300 buses.

There is hesitation amongst fleet operators  when it comes to the adoption of ESBs, such as the concern that they aren’t reliable or don’t last as long as diesel counterparts. Some worry that planning for charging needs is highly complex and that the required charging infrastructure is challenging to choose and implement. There is also concern that ESBs don’t have enough range for regular school trips, or that the performance range is easily affected by road (e.g. uphill driving) and extreme weather conditions. Finally, there is worry that the current power supply isn’t enough for the increased demand in energy that would come from widespread adoption of ESBs.

• Education is a key strategy to help overcome non-technical barriers, with more awareness and education for fleet managers, drivers, users, and everyone else involved in ESBs.
• Financial incentives are important to support ESB procurement, as costs continue to be a major barrier. Costs are expected to come down over time, in which such incentives may be phased out. However, right now, they are essential.
• V2G is another opportunity to help overcome barriers, as it can help improve the business case and get utilities on-board with ESBs.
• Finally, there must be improvements to the supply chain to ensure demand for ESBs is being met.