The Ins and Outs of an Electric School Bus

Join Northstar Bus Lines School Bus Driver and Trainer, Bill Donkers as he tours an Electric School Bus. Northstar Bus Lines currently has the largest electric bus fleet in the Midwest. This is thanks to a pilot program with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and Osseo School District. Northstar announced its arrival of 3 Lion Electric School Buses back in November. Since then, drivers have had time to get familiar with the differences between an Electric and Diesel school bus. Watch as Bill points out those differences.

[@MarkRDKing]

that music below 15 would drive me up the wall. I would like to have the actual sound of a diesel engine. Kids are more aware of that sound. I could not imagine 30 buses with that same music in a school drop area.

[@beanapprentice1687]

"I could not imagine 30 buses with that same music in a school drop area" heh... I live near a school and I have to deal with this sound repeatedly playing every morning. I hope somebody sues the company so they change the sound to something more dynamic and easy on the ears.

[@jamiepatterson1214]

What do replacement battery packs cost? Is there a plan for evacuating those 77 kids if/when the battery pack shorts out and causes a fire? A fire, from the look of those busses, that will be under the bus. What isolates the battery pack in the case of an accident? Will rescuers be able to touch the bus or could someone be electrocuted if they touched the bus after an accident? There are videos worth watching showing EV battery started fires. Fortunately there were no injuries.

[@beanapprentice1687]

These electric busses use Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries that cost somewhere in the realm of 20-40 thousand dollars. Luckily though, the battery will far outlast the life of the bus, so it does not need to be replaced. If there is a battery fire, the occupants can escape though the emergency rear door, the front door, or the windows, similarly to if a fossil fuel bus catches fire. There are multiple battery cut-off switches located around the bus that first responders can access in an emergency situation, in order to isolate the high voltage from the bus. These emergency cut-off switches are standard on all electric vehicles. Fortunately, LFP batteries are far less likely to set on fire compared to standard lithium ion batteries, and when they do catch fire they are less violent than regular lithium ion battery fires. Also, LFP batteries are cobalt-free and nickel-free, making them very eco-friendly and sustainable.

[@beanapprentice1687]

@@NIFWW what are you talking about? Tesla is the one _leading_ the adoption of LFP batteries, they haven’t dropped them.

[@zayaRBLX]

Why it has an C2 chime

[@Jeepin290]

More like a Freightliner chime.

[@mikedior3089]

Yea it’s Freightliner

[@riceexe]

@@mikedior3089 Spartan just happens to use the same buzzer ig

[@34forlife]

bro said start the engine when its an electric bus

[@TigerInTheWoods]

What is the battery wattage and miles range on a single charge? Like my Tesla MY LR has 75Kwh battery w/ 330 miles range on single charge. Pls. tell this forum, Thanks

[@TigerInTheWoods]

LEV should focus mainly on school buses n lion 6 products bcuz they have outstanding orders already. They should continue the assembly of the latter even though supply chain constraint continues. They can always add or complete the assembly ones missing parts r available. By doing so, they're stocking up unfinished orders that will become an inventory moving forward. There's no reason to work stoppage while waiting for parts to finish the product...I'm a Tesla investor, what they're doing in giga Austin plant is continues producing/manufacturing of frames, motor housing etc etc while waiting for other main parts like chips to arrive likewise the final permit to ramp up production, in short they continue to pile up parts that r available on hand...

[@SchoolBusJobs]

Thank you for sharing!

[@timmuller1567]

I want to see what happens when the batteries no longer hold a charge. How much to replace and what do you do with the old ones?

[@fpartidafpartida]

The batteries don’t ever “stop holding a charge”. They slowly deplete over time. At some point, the reduced range makes sense to replace them. However, just like when it’s time for an engine replacement in a ICE car, no one ever orders a brand new engine from the factory to put in a used car. You get a refurbished one. The same thing with batteries. You replace them with refurbished ones. That’s what they use for the classic car EV conversions, they don’t order new ones from Tesla for that. As far as what you do with the old ones….you refurbish them. They can be used in other EVs or most likely you can use them for energy storage applications, like at charging stations or home back up for power outages.

[@frederickwise5238]

You should really be concerned about WHEN THEY BEGIN TO BURN!!!!!!

[@fpartidafpartida]

@@frederickwise5238 You do realize that ICE vehicles catch fire more often statistically than EVs, don’t you?

[@frederickwise5238]

@@fpartidafpartida Well maybe with several millions more of em on the road, but you are grasping at straws. The numbers may be higher but not percentage wise. If an ICE does catch fire they put it out AND ITS OUT. EV's burn for WEEKS AND WEEKS AND THE TOXIC FUMES ARE FAR MORE DEADLY and CARCINOGENIC. Even the foam they have to use is carcinogenic. And there is danger of electrocution to the occupants and the first responders. For an ICE fire they call firemen and a few cops for traffic control. When its out its over. For an EV fire there is Hazmat, dozens of cops to block traffic in all directions. And the extensive cleanup after is dozens of times as lengthy and costly as an ICE fire. You are NOT selling EV's to any of us dude.

[@sayitaintso7544]

Whaaat? No diesel, no propane, no DEF fluid, no regen? I wish we had seatbelts 4:52 in Georgia but the higher ups say its too expensive. So theres a big up front cost? Do they pay off later down the road? No field trips ig since distance is a problem.

[@WilliamHollinger2019]

I feel for you with Pennsylvania we don't have seatbelt either meanwhile in new jersey required them too.

[@beanapprentice1687]

leave the field trips to the diesel buses. These EVs will be perfect for city trips and will save tons of money in the long run.

[@robertheinkel6225]

Buses have a built in safety area in each seat area, seatbelts are not needed for safety. Did you ever notice the seat backs are tall and heavily padded? With buses with seatbelts,who ensures that all the students can unbuckle and exit safely?

[@beanapprentice1687]

@@robertheinkel6225 seatbelts are absolutely needed in the event of side collisions. Multiple child deaths have occurred because children flew throw the windows of a schoolbus during such a collision. And it's easy to make a seat-belt child friendly. It has also been proven that the injuries sustained by wearing a seatbelt are lesser than the injuries sustained when a person smashes their face into the seat in front of them.

[@bethmotgomery2662]

Diesels are best.

[@merrittvillekid]

That's when I quit driving buses

[@rortify]

cool boomer, no one asked though

[@vincentgrear]

Those busses are amazing and they play a great song if they go slow enough

[@evangouldtransit]

it's actually the door chime of the Montreal Metro.!

[@beanapprentice1687]

I think it's really annoying

[@Lennox1492]

That dash board sure is small

[@damondburgess2529]

How much is the bus can you sell it at $1

[@SchoolBusJobs]

def. not cheap

[@sophiasocal68]

You think im putting my kids in an electric school bus while they are standing in water after a hard rain...yea..right!

[@jodelacruz2680]

That's dangerous 😳 playing kids on street will not here bus coming 😒 no thanks

[@L-I-L-S-E-T-I]

That’s the reason why there’s a chime 😐

[@SchoolBusJobs]

There is sound to alert kids the bus is coming.

[@Jdogg4089]

Yes there is, it's a federal mandate.

[@Eh.He.]

Did you even watch the video? 😂

[@beanapprentice1687]

They are actually pretty audible on the outside due to the tire noise. Also, bus drivers are competent enough to slow down and use their horn when there are kids playing on the road.

[@bethmotgomery2662]

DIESELS ARE BEST!!!!!

[@fpartidafpartida]

At what? Making your kids nauseas? Needing glow plugs to start in the winter? Being so loud that it’s hard to have a conversation while traveling? Overheating up hills and loosing power? Slowest at accelerating?

[@bethmotgomery2662]

Diesels are better than electric because diesels are more reliable than electric.

[@fpartidafpartida]

@@bethmotgomery2662 Sorry, but they are not. Electric motors are used in industrial applications because of their reliability. They are literally a magnet, wrapped in copper coil that spins on ball bearings. There’s nothing to go wrong. That’s why my Rivian SUV comes with a 8 year or 175,000 mile drive train factory warranty (which includes the battery) and my Audi SUV has a 200,000 mile certified used warranty. What’s the best factory warranty offered on a diesel?