United States Electric Bus Market
is expected to grow in the forecast
period, 2024-2028F. The
adoption of electric buses is increasing in the country as it supports efforts
to reduce local air pollution, the diesel buses emit dangerous substances such
as particulate matter and nitrogen oxides (NOx). The advantages of electric
buses over the other buses are that they provide energy security and increase
transport fuel diversity. In United States the dependence on imported fossil
fuel makes transport system more vulnerable to oil price changes and shortage.
In country, the government has introduced the policy that no new diesel buses
will be purchased in the coming decades for the inner-city routes.
In
United States the number of electric buses is increasing. As of March 2022,
more than 37 states of United States and 415 districts (or private fleet
operators) committed to procure 12,275 electric school bus in the coming years.
Electric
buses have the potential to reduce operations and maintenance costs for fleets
and emit no tailpipe emissions in comparison to the standard diesel-powered
bus. Electric buses have huge batteries that can store and distribute energy to
power structures and other equipment, supporting higher resilience, including
the incorporation of renewable energy. The cost of recharging the electric
buses is low compared to refueling the diesel bus. By the adoption of electric
bus owners can save their money of refueling, making it profitable for them to
own buses, and save environment by reducing the pollution. Even though the
adoption of electric buses is in its infancy stage, technological development
should be made widely accessible.
Government
Initiative Towards the Adoption of Electric Buses and Technology Advancement in
The Electric Bus
The
environmental advantages of electric buses over diesel alternatives, including
reduced exhaust emissions and improved air quality, outweigh their lower total
cost of ownership (TCO). Although presently the cost of the battery still
contributes to a higher overall acquisition price, the lower TCO is a result of
the lower cost per km for running on electricity compared to fuel. Due to these
advantages, governments are setting goals to hasten its adoption. For
example, the US government has mandated that all public transport buses sold
must be zero emission vehicles (ZEV) by 2030, and that all ZEV fleets must be
100% ZEV by 2040, replacing all fossil fuel vehicles. With the endorsement
of the United States Clean Bus Deployment Initiative, cities, regions,
manufacturers, and transportation organizations at the regional level adopted a
shared goal to hasten the deployment of clean buses. In addition to
battery-powered buses, fuel cell buses that use green hydrogen are regarded as
environment friendly.
Numerous
improvements and price reductions are being made to battery chemistry and
charging infrastructure. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) parities can be reached
or even surpassed in the upcoming years with improved performance and lower
capital expenditure (CapEx). TCO study at the route and depot levels may offer
more accurate recommendations for technology adoption. For various O&M
requirements, several technological solutions, particularly those involving
batteries, charging infrastructure, and power supply are beneficial. During the
early years of the adoption of electric buses, using a variety of technologies
can be helpful. This would promote improved capacity building for the adoption
of electric buses and could make good commercial sense.
Buses
are a more space, energy, and emissions efficient form of transportation than
cars, regardless of the type of powertrain (mechanisms for generating bus
propulsion) that is employed (UITP - Union International des Transports
Publics, 2011). For instance, a diesel bus2 operating at 20% of its capacity
emits around one-third less CO2 emissions per passenger kilometer than the
equal number of private vehicles3 necessary to carry the same number of
passengers. The reduction in CO2 emissions rises to more than 90% when the bus
is at capacity.
While
diesel buses are more efficient than private automobiles, they still contribute
significantly to GHG emissions, which might be greatly decreased by using
electric buses. This is the first reason to think about using electric buses
instead of diesel buses. As a result, numerous national and regional
governments worldwide are looking at ways to cut GHG emissions from their
fleets of public transport by investing in alternative powertrains. The fact
that electric buses contribute to efforts to lower local air pollution makes
them appeal. Urban air quality is receiving more attention globally, and during
the next 10 years, some international towns plan to outlaw diesel vehicles from
inner city roads. Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
and particulate matter are harmful byproducts that are released by even modern,
efficient diesel engines.
Electric
Buses by Different Mode
In
some major cities throughout the world, rules are being implemented that
highlight the benefits of electric buses. Several public transportation networks
across the world are using hybrid electric, fuel cell electric, and fully
electric buses. In the electric bus the electrical energy produced and stored vary
into several forms of electric bus technology. Specifically, Diesel engines are
used inside hybrid electric buses (HEBs) to produce power while they are in
motion. Fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs) operate with power produced onboard by
hydrogen fuel cells. Electricity is stored within battery-operated buses (BEBs),
which are charged overnight. HEBs are powered by both an electric motor (EM)
and an internal combustion engine (ICE), which is often a diesel engine.
Growing
Demand of Electric School Bus in the Country
The
country is now being prepared for electric bus adoption by several factors. Electric
bus feature zero tailpipe emissions and the potential to reduce fleet
operations and maintenance expenses as compared to conventional diesel-powered
school buses. Electric buses can offer extra advantages if they include bidirectional
charging technology, like possibly serving as portable generators in an
emergency. These advantages have influenced communities and policymakers to
support electric buses, which has led to commitments to electrification. Grants
and incentives are used to lower the upfront cost of the buses.
Existing
producers are increasing production to keep up with the rising demand for electric
buses. Many electric bus manufactures have started to manufacture the second,
third, or even fourth iteration of the electric bus models and increasing their
production capacity to keep up with the demand in the market. One of the
electric school bus manufacturing companies, Blue Bird Corporation, became the
first electric bus manufacturer to produce 800 electric-powered buses in the
country. Blue Bird Corporation, in late 2020 has doubled their production
capacity for the 800 electric school buses order, post this order of electric
buses, the company has witnessed about 250 percent increase in sales over the past
year, 2018-2019.
Electric Grid Readiness
Because
capital investment needs downstream revenue flows to make profits, transmission
capacity often lags demand. While OEMs ramped up production, the nation's grid can
be quickly expanded to accommodate the millions of anticipated future electric
automobiles. The electrical grid will invest where there is a shortage of
resources in response to the growing popularity of electric vehicles. Lead
times for installing a vehicle charging system might be anywhere from six
months and more than a year.
Increasing Charging
Infrastructure for Electric Buses
The
accessibility of charging infrastructure is one of the primary worries and
sources of uncertainty for fleets considering the deployment of battery
electric vehicles. Fleets considering the usage of electric vehicles can follow
a roadmap to ensure they have a charging plan that is both effective and
economical, even though there isn't a charging solution that works for
everyone.
When
planning their charging infrastructure, fleets must take three separate but
related factors into consideration: hardware, software/networking, and
maintenance. Hardware needed to recharge electric cars is referred to as
"charging stations" or "electric vehicle supply equipment"
(EVSE). The most common kind of EVSE is one that employs a plug-in charging
station. There are currently a variety of competing connector types, and
charging station connectors are not currently standardized.
Electric
Bus as an alternative Solution Over the Fuel Based Buses
Due
to increasing levels of goods transit and growing aspirations for cleaner
transport, the bus industry is seeing an increase in demand for near-zero or
zero-emission solutions. The availability of alternative fuels and associated
powertrains has increased as a result, and these technologies are moving closer
to being used in vehicles that are suitable for mass production. Although
battery electric vehicles and more contemporary technologies like fuel cells
are receiving current investment, natural gas powertrains have historically
been the market leader.
Technological
Advancements
Advanced
driver assistance systems (ADAS), which use various sensors and cutting-edge
technology to provide all the features including adaptive cruise control,
collision avoidance, park assistance, lane departure warning system, rear cross
traffic assistance, automatic speed limit, etc., are now standard equipment on
many modern buses. Today's utilization of advanced driver assistance
technologies opens new possibilities and paves the way for more sophisticated
autonomous capabilities. These choices, which come in various levels, not only
increase the comfort and convenience of electric bus drivers while they drive,
but they also increase the safety of the bus by allowing it to always keep an
eye on the road.
Innovative
battery technology for electric buses has recently been developed. The most
typical method is an automatic battery heater. A battery that could
"self-heat" was created by scientists to lessen power loss brought on
by subfreezing temperatures during severe weather. When charged at temperatures
below 10 degrees Celsius, lithium-ion batteries may degrade very quickly. This
could lead to "lithium plating," which reduces cell performance and could
potentially result in risky battery conditions like power surges.
In
contrast to conventional batteries, which are damaged when heated at a high
temperature for an extended period, self-heating batteries can swiftly heat up
and cool themselves to provide the ideal charging conditions.
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Market
Segmentation
The United States Electric Bus Market is
divided based on seating capacity, battery type, application, bus length, and region.
Based on seating capacity, the market is divided into up to 30-seater,
31–40-seater, and above 40. Based on battery type, the market is divided into lead
acid and lithium ion. Based on application, the market is divided into intercity,
intracity, and airport bus. By bus length, the market is segmented into 6-8m,
9-12m, and above 12m. The market is divided based on regions such as West region,
Northeast region, Midwest region, South region.
Market Players
Major
market players in the United States Electric Bus Market are
Proterra
Inc., BYD Motors Inc, NFI Group Inc, AB Volvo, Green Power Motor Company Inc.,
Gillig LLC, Blue Bird Corporation, Isuzu Motors Ltd, Nova Bus Corporation, MAN
Truck & Bus AG.
Report Scope:
In this report, the United States Electric Bus Market
has
been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry
trends which have also been detailed below:
·
United States Electric Bus Market, By Seating Capacity:
o
Up to 30-Seater
o
31–40-Seater
o
Above 40
·
United States Electric Bus Market, By Battery Type:
o Lead Acid
o Lithium Ion
·
United States Electric Bus Market, By Application:
o Intercity
o Intracity
o Airport Bus
·
United States Electric Bus Market, By Bus Length:
o
6-8m
o
9-12m
o Above
12m
·
United States Electric Bus Market, By Region:
o
West
o
Northeast
o
Midwest
o
South
Competitive Landscape
Company
Profiles: Detailed
analysis of the major companies present in the United States Electric Bus Market.
Available Customizations:
Tech Sci Research offers customizations
according to a company’s specific needs. The following customization options
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Company Information
- Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to
five).
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