Canadian Province to Roll Out 35 Electric School Buses

The Canadian province of Prince Edward Island will soon be deploying 35 new electric school buses.

The electric buses from The Lion Electric Co. (Lion) were purchased, in part, using funds from the Government of Canada and the Government of Prince Edward Island, which are contributing over $6.3 million to the clean school bus project through the Green Infrastructure stream of the “Investing in Canada” infrastructure plan, according to a news release from Lion. The project also includes the installation of 35 Level 2 charging stations.

As School Bus Fleet previously reported, in November, Prince Edward Island purchased 12 LionC buses to replace some of its diesel-powered models. These vehicles, according to Lion, have been servicing routes in the Charlottetown area since early 2021.

“As Islanders, we see the impact of climate change every day and recognize the importance of leading by example,” said Honorable Natalie Jameson, minister of education and lifelong learning and minister responsible for the status of women. “By adding 35 new electric school buses to our existing 12 electric school buses, more students will experience the important steps we are taking as a province to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions as we work to become cleaner and more sustainable for future generations.”

Prince Edward Island’s transition to electric school buses is a key part of the province’s Sustainable Transportation Action Plan, which includes the goal of replacing its 332-school bus fleet with electric buses, along with transitioning its transit bus operations to zero-emission. With a total of 47 electric school buses on the road, Lion estimates that the province will prevent up to 1,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions on the island each year.

“It is great to see Prince Edward Island continuing the momentum to electrify the school bus fleet within the province…they are doubling down on their commitment to clean school transportation and the health of their communities,” Marc Bedard, CEO and founder of Lion, added in the release. “We look forward to continuing to work with the province on sustainable transportation solutions.”