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In a groundbreaking move for sustainable student transportation, Zūm announced the launch of Oakland Unified School District’s fully electric, bidirectional V2G school bus fleet. This initiative marks the first major U.S. school district to adopt a 100% electric school bus system with vehicle-to-grid technology. The 74 electric buses and charging infrastructure will provide up to 2.1 gigawatt hours of energy back to the grid annually and significantly reduce emissions.
Key Highlights
- 74 electric school buses equipped with bidirectional chargers
- 2.1 gigawatt hours of energy returned to the grid annually
- 25,000 tons of emissions reduced each year
- Nation’s first 100% electric school bus fleet with V2G technology
Zūm’s innovative approach leverages AI-enabled technology to manage the fleet, transforming school buses into a Virtual Power Plant (VPP). This dual role enhances grid resilience while offering sustainable transportation.
“We at Zum strongly believe it is time to move beyond pilots and deploy sustainability solutions at scale. Converting the Oakland Unified school bus fleet to 100% electric with VPP capability is the right step in that direction,” said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO of Zum. “This historic milestone is a win-win proposition: Electric school buses with V2G provide students with cleaner, fume-free transportation and allow us to send untapped energy from the bus batteries back to the grid, creating an enormous impact on grid resilience. Zum is proud to have delivered on this ambitious project a year ahead of schedule.”
Impact on Student Transportation
The U.S. student transportation system, the nation’s largest mass transit system, moves 27 million students daily. Currently, over 90% of the 500,000 school buses run on carbon-based fuels, emitting more than 8.4 million tons of greenhouse gases annually. This transition to electric buses is a significant step towards reducing these emissions.
“Oakland becoming the first in the nation to have a 100% electric school bus fleet is a huge win for the Oakland community and the nation as a whole,” said Kim Raney, Executive Director of Transportation at Oakland Unified School District. “The families of Oakland are disproportionately disadvantaged and affected by high rates of asthma and exposure to air pollution from diesel fuels. Providing our students with cleaner and quieter transportation on electric school buses will be a game changer ensuring they have an equitable and stronger chance of success in the classroom.”
Collaborative Efforts
This large-scale electrification with V2G capabilities involves multiple partners. Federal and California State programs like the EPA’s Clean School Bus program and the California Air Resource Board’s initiatives have been crucial. Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) played a vital role by delivering 2.7 megawatts of load to Zūm’s Oakland EV-ready facility efficiently.
“PG&E is proud to work closely with Zum and Oakland Unified in deploying what is the largest electric school bus fleet and vehicle-based, grid-supporting resource in the country,” said Mike Delaney, Vice President of Utility Partnerships and Innovation, PG&E. “Oakland is PG&E’s headquarters, it is home to many of our customers and co-workers, and a city we’ve proudly served for more than a century. Achieving this advanced fleet electrification and vehicle-grid-integration milestone for the people and students of Oakland reflects our commitment to delivering excellent customer service outcomes for our hometowns using breakthrough thinking, collaboration and swift execution.”
Future Goals
Zūm aims to electrify 10,000 bidirectional school buses, potentially supplying 300 gigawatt hours of energy to power grids annually. Expansion plans include electrifying buses in school districts across the country, such as San Francisco Unified and Los Angeles Unified, which will soon join Oakland in leading this sustainability revolution.
For more information, visit Zum’s website.
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