Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that electric school buses can significantly improve health and the environment.
According to the research, electric school buses save $247,600 per vehicle in terms of environmental and health advantages. Professor Kari Nadeau's study team found that decreased child asthma rates, greenhouse gas emissions, and adult life expectancy account for the savings, per US News & World Report.
On May 20, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reported the findings.
Nadeau noted that their findings indicate speeding up the shift to electric school buses "will improve individual, public, and planetary health."
The report estimates that half a million US school buses transport children, many of which use harmful diesel fuel. However, electric buses are expensive for school districts with limited funds.
Researchers analyzed their environmental and health costs to determine the long-term value of diesel bus emissions and electric school bus energy.
According to 2017 figures, an electric school bus saves $84,200 per vehicle. This includes $40,400 in climate benefits from reduced carbon dioxide emissions and $43,800 in health savings from better air quality, lower mortality, and pediatric asthma.
Because of population density and air quality, urban school districts benefit more healthily and financially from this decision. In a big city, replacing a 2005 diesel bus with an electric bus may provide $207,200 in health benefits per vehicle.
First Electric School Bus Fleet in Oakland
The first all-electric school bus fleet in a major US school district was launched in Oakland's industrial district. From August, the 74 buses will generate 2.1 gigawatt-hours of electricity for the Bay Area power system, enough to power 300 to 400 houses.
In Oakland, where 72% of public school kids are from low-income households and are disproportionately affected by pollution from the port, truck traffic, and manufacturing sectors, the buses are expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 25,000 tons per year, as reported by Bloomberg.
American Lung Association CEO Harold Wimmer noted the electrification of US school buses in a webinar on electric school buses is crucial in making "healthier for everyone."
Zūm, a Silicon Valley firm, manages the fleet of electric buses in Oakland, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Seattle, and other US cities. Since 2022, Zūm has added electric buses to its fleet, with 10% of its 3,000 buses currently being zero-emission.
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At the Oakland Unified School District depot, Vivek Garg, co-founder and COO of Zūm, explained that electric school buses are unique as they are large batteries on wheels that drive predictable, limited miles and support the grid.
School bus schedules match renewable energy generation and power consumption, making them perfect for vehicle-to-grid initiatives.
EV Road Safety Concerns Raised
Meanwhile, TechTimes previously reported a separate study raising concerns from road safety experts. The research indicates that hybrid and electric cars hit people more than petrol or diesel cars in the UK, especially in cities.
Experts suspect several factors are involved, including the fact that younger and less experienced drivers use electric cars, which have a quiet sound making it harder to hear in cities. Road traffic accidents are the top killer of minors in the UK, with pedestrians accounting for 25% of deaths.
Researchers evaluated 2013-2017 UK travel and traffic accident data and assessed 916,713 victims and 120,197 pedestrians. More than 96,000 automobiles and taxis hit individuals.
The study showed that electric and hybrid cars had 5.16 pedestrian injuries per 100 million kilometers, compared to 2.4 for petrol and diesel cars.
Since July 2019, all new hybrid and electric automobiles sold in Europe must include an acoustic vehicle warning system that sounds while slowing. However, researchers pointed out that hundreds of thousands of electric cars lack these gadgets.
Experts also urged the UK government to address EV road safety issues before phasing out fossil fuel-powered cars.
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