Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) has achieved a historic milestone in the realm of student transportation by deploying an all-electric fleet of school buses, making it the first major school district in the U.S. to transition to a 100% electrified school bus system. This first-of-its-kind initiative, spearheaded by Zum, a leading provider of modern student transportation solutions, not only brings cleaner transportation to students but also utilizes groundbreaking vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. This technology allows the electric buses to return energy to the grid at scale when not in use, effectively creating a sustainable and cost-effective system.
Zum has deployed a fleet of 74 electric school buses in Oakland, each equipped with its own bidirectional charger, managed by an AI-enabled Virtual Power Plant (VPP). This all-EV fleet will decarbonize student transportation while simultaneously sending a substantial 2.1 gigawatt hours of energy back to the grid annually.
The positive impact of this initiative extends beyond cleaner transportation. The electric school buses, with their V2G capability, contribute to a cleaner environment and provide a win-win situation for children, families, schools, and drivers. The transition to an electric fleet also addresses the significant environmental concerns associated with traditional school buses. Currently, over 90% of the nation’s 500,000 school buses rely on carbon-based fuels, leading to the release of over 8.4 million tons of greenhouse gases annually. Oakland’s EV fleet will remove an estimated 25,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases from the environment, significantly improving air quality and benefiting the health of the community.
This project has received support from various partners including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), California Air Resources Board (CARB), and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), highlighting the collaborative effort to achieve this milestone. Zum’s utility partner, PG&E, played a crucial role by providing 2.7 megawatts of load to Zum’s Oakland EV-ready facility, enabling the project to be completed a year ahead of schedule.
The success of this initiative serves as a blueprint for other school districts across California and the nation, demonstrating the feasibility and benefits of transitioning to electric school buses. Zum’s vision extends beyond Oakland, with a goal of electrifying 10,000 bidirectional school buses nationwide, potentially supplying 300 gigawatt hours of energy to local power grids annually. This ambitious goal signifies Zum’s commitment to leading the charge in sustainable transportation and energy solutions.
The positive impact of this initiative is already being felt, creating a cleaner and healthier environment for students, families, and the community at large. As Zum continues to expand its efforts, the future of school transportation is poised to become more sustainable, cost-effective, and energy-efficient.
