The U.S. Electric Bus Transition - An Analysis of Funding and Financing Mechanisms

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.