| dc.description.abstract |
Electric buses are poised to represent an increasingly larger share of the United
States bus market due to the benefits of avoided air pollution, zero carbon emissions,
and lower operation & maintenance costs. However, while total cost of ownership is
approaching parity for electric buses versus diesel buses (and in some cases, even
undercutting diesel), transit agencies and municipalities face the common problem
of high upfront capital expenditures required for electric buses versus traditional
diesel-powered alternatives. Based on secondary literature review and primary interviews
conducted with industry participants, the existing ecosystem of electric bus manufacturers,
transit agencies/municipalities, and government agencies are mapped out alongside
the existing frameworks for financing electric buses. These frameworks primarily revolve
around federal grants, state-level grants, and Volkswagen emissions settlement funds.
This is then followed by an analysis of the feasibility of recent and innovative financing
models such as battery leasing, utility ownership, and energy-as-a-service and what
it will take for these models to scale up.
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