New York City Plans 25 New Electric School Buses

New York City School Bus Umbrella Services (NYCSBUS) has announced the approval of charging infrastructure and automated load management (ALM) to support 25 electric school buses, the majority of which will be deployed in the Bronx.

The Mobility House, an electric vehicle charging and energy solutions company, was part of the team that won $8 million from NYSERDA New York Clean Transportation Prizes program in 2022 for bi-directional charging infrastructure. Separately, NYCSBUS won an award from the EPA’s Clean School Bus program for 25 electric buses, which accelerated the need for charging infrastructure.

“We are excited to work with The Mobility House, thanks to generous funding from NYSERDA, to serve as the blueprint for how to rapidly scale school bus electrification in New York to meet the state’s ambitious goals,” said Matt Berlin, CEO of NYCSBUS. “The Mobility House is the most proven charge management provider in this space, and we appreciate their partnership in planning and implementing charging infrastructure to drive towards the electric future.”

The Mobility House's ChargePilot charge management software has been pivotal in empowering NYCSBUS to optimize its electric bus fleet's charging operations and a critical tool to ensure that charging infrastructure deployments are flexible enough to match shifting vehicle order and delivery timelines. With the use of data-driven analysis and the application of automated load management (ALM) technology, NYCSBUS can now charge up to 17 buses at the Zerega site with 268 kW of nameplate charger capacity while staying under the maximum load limit of 80 kW prescribed by the utility provider. Prior to implementing ALM, the limit was capped at seven buses for the site. This represents more than a twofold increase in charging capability, demonstrating the software's effectiveness in optimizing available capacity and easing the implementation of electric buses.

The remaining 11 chargers to support the remaining buses awarded under the EPA grant will be installed at NYCSBUS sites in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, minimizing disruptions to NYCSBUS electrification plans.

“It is an honor to partner with NYCSBUS and NYSERDA in accelerating the state’s transition to cleaner transportation. Our global charge management expertise with some of the world’s largest electric fleets will help set the standard for scalable, intelligent electric infrastructure across New York,” said The Mobility House U.S. Managing Director Gregor Hintler.

NYCSBUS is thrilled about this project and is looking forward to the positive impact it will have on the Bronx community. With the help of TMH, NYSERDA’s New York Clean Transportation Prizes and the EPA Clean School Bus Program NYCSBUS is now able to provide clean, efficient transportation to students in the Bronx.