Consumes Energy aids deployment of all-electric school buses to 11 Michigan school districts
Ahead of the annual return to school, Consumers Energy worked with 11 Michigan school districts and a heap of federal funding to get traditional, fuel-burning school buses replaced with all electric buses.
This was made possible by federal grants that provided funding for more than 50 electric buses across Michigan. In one such district, Pellston of northern Michigan’s Emmet County, the subsequent purchase and deployment of four all electric buses in April resulted in their bus operating costs plummeting by 45 cents per mile and savings of more than $1,300 in just four weeks.
For Consumers Energy’s part, assistance came in the form of electrical work and a rebate for the buses’ charging stations. The company hopes to achieve power for 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2030.
“Michigan is in the middle of an electric vehicle transformation ― that means vehicles of all shapes and sizes, including the traditional big yellow school buses so many of us rode as kids,” Lauren Snyder, Consumers Energy’s vice president of customer experience, said. “We’re excited to help our schools make this clean vehicle transition and ensure safe transportation for today’s generation and dollars for our schools.”
Other districts benefiting from Consumers Energy’s help during the bus rollout include:
- Alcona
- Au Gres-Sims
- Beecher
- Britton Deerfield
- Cadillac
- Jackson
- Homer
- Hopkins
- Pentwater
- Sand Creek
Incentives were provided through the company’s PowerMIFleet program, which complements financial rebates for chargers with technical expertise. Participants can earn up to $5,000 per Level 2 Charge Port, up to $35,000 per non-public DC Fast Charger or up to $70,000 per public-use DC Fast Charger.
