Oakland Leads with 100% Electric, V2G-Enabled School Buses

What happened in August 2024:

Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) has taken a groundbreaking step in student transportation by becoming the first primary school district in the United States to operate an entirely electric school bus fleet. The milestone, facilitated by Zūm, a leader in modern student transportation, introduces innovative vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology that supports sustainability and returns energy to the grid when buses are not in use.

Zūm’s vision: Decarbonising student transportation

Zūm has deployed a fleet of 74 all-electric school buses in Oakland, each equipped with bidirectional chargers managed by an AI-enabled Virtual Power Plant (VPP). The forward-thinking initiative aims to eliminate 25,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually while contributing approximately 2.1 gigawatt-hours of energy back to the grid annually.

Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO of Zūm, emphasised the importance of this milestone:

“Today marks an exciting milestone in student transportation. By converting the Oakland Unified school bus fleet to 100% electric, we demonstrate that sustainability solutions can positively impact an entire community.

Electric school buses with V2G capability create cleaner transportation and send untapped energy back to the grid. It’s a win-win for children, families, schools, and drivers.”

Cleaner air and healthier rides for students

Oakland’s transition to electric school buses is particularly significant for a community disproportionately affected by air pollution and related health issues such as asthma. The quieter, emissions-free buses offer students a healthier commuting environment, supporting their well-being and academic success.

Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell, Superintendent of OUSD, highlighted the benefits:

“This is a landmark achievement, especially in Oakland, where there is a disproportionate impact on families’ exposure to air pollution. Zūm’s electric school buses provide our students quieter, cleaner rides to and from school, giving them a better chance at success in the classroom while ensuring the District is doing its part to cut down on air pollution to benefit all Oakland residents.”

Collaboration drives innovation

The successful deployment of this all-electric fleet resulted from collaborative efforts between Zūm and key partners such as Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). PG&E played a crucial role in completing significant infrastructure upgrades, delivering 2.7 megawatts of power to Zūm’s Oakland EV-ready facility a year ahead of schedule.

A representative from PG&E remarked: “Converting to electric transportation reduces emissions and offers a flexible power supply that benefits all customers."

"Our partnership with Zūm and Oakland Unified on this fully electric school bus fleet is a blueprint for schools across California and the nation to serve better our students, local communities, and our planet.”

Federal and state support pave the way

The initiative was bolstered by support from multiple federal and state programs, including the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus program, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), and other incentive programs.

Pioneering the future of student transportation

Zūm’s efforts in Oakland are just the beginning of a larger vision. It aims to electrify 10,000 bidirectional school buses nationwide, potentially supplying up to 300 gigawatt hours of energy to local power grids annually.

With plans to expand 100% electric fleets nationwide, Zūm is redefining student transportation and setting a benchmark for sustainable practices that benefit communities, the environment, and future generations.

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