From Axios, “Between the lines: Cold temperatures slow down the chemical reactions in battery cells, which saps range and increases charging times.
- Without heat-producing engines, EVs also have to siphon battery power to warm the cabin.
So in winter months, school around Yosemite, in the San Bernardino mountains, in Nevada County and El Dorado County, school buses will have difficulty operating, and if operating a smaller range of travel.
It looks like Newsom and the Democrats have put another barrier to kids getting an education. Even if they use private EV cars, those cars will have the same cold weather problem. Great excuse, “could not get to class due to cold weather and government mandated EV’s do not work.”
California Adopts New Law to Boost Electric School Bus Adoption
Newly signed law mandates new school buses be electric starting in 2035, building on California’s clean transportation leadership
AdvancedEnergyUnited.org, 10/8/23
SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 579 (AB 579) into law, speeding up the transition to zero-emission school buses. The law sets a statewide goal requiring all new school buses purchased or leased after 2035 to be zero-emission and extends transportation services and leasing contracts for zero-emission school buses to ease the transition.
By moving up the timeline for clean school buses, California can bring the benefits of clean air and cost savings to children and schools faster. This action is the latest significant effort to fast-track clean school transportation.
“California’s efforts to electrify its transportation system have been a model for the nation and the world. Accelerating zero-emission school buses is the right next step,” said Ryan Gallentine, Transportation Policy Director at Advanced Energy United, which sponsored the legislation. “We thank Governor Newsom for standing with the diverse coalition of parents, educators, health professionals, and industry leaders who understand the far-reaching public benefits of zero-emission school buses.”
“AB 579 offers a thoughtful approach to the adoption of electric school buses, providing financing options that ease the transition for school districts,” added Gallentine. “When combined with existing electric school bus programs and federal grants, this legislation will accelerate California’s progress and ensure future generations of students can breathe easier.”
California is home to one of the largest school bus fleets in the nation and schools are well-equipped to embrace the transition to zero-emission buses. The state legislature allocated $1.5 billion last year for electric school buses and essential charging infrastructure. Funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act are already heading to California schools to aid the transition. Establishing a statewide purchasing goal will support school districts in their applications for additional grants through EPA Clean School Bus Program, which recently opened another multi-million dollar funding round.
More information about AB 579 can be found here.
This newsletter had a story from WY about this.
It was hard for their EV busses to complete the day due to battery drain.
But it didn’t matter because 100% of the EV busses were down. Parts on order, sometimes for months. And the bus manufacturer in bankruptcy.
Did anyone happen to see the clip of the EV bus on fire in London, today? Can you imagine a bunch of 6 and 7 year olds trapped in that sort of horror, just trying to get to school? I would guess many would never make it out alive. What a horrible and violent way to go.
Yes, as Jim mentions above, school systems which have gone the electric route are backtracking. The buses don’t work much of the time, requiring back up of diesel models. Jackson, Wyoming switched its entire fleet of school buses to electric. Now it is replacing all of them in favor of diesel, after just a few years.
Yes, in case you were wondering, Newsom is an idiot.
As a side note, Wyoming lawmakers will introduce a law banning the sale of ALL EV’s in the state beginning in 2035.
If you haven’t moved out of California, maybe now is the time to start planning for it.