California to move to 100% all-electric public buses by 2040

Chinese automaker BYD building electric buses in Lancaster, California (NYT)

In December 2018, the Californian Government released its strategy to transition to an all-electric public bus fleet. The EVs will include battery and fuel cell electric buses. As their electricity grid moves to renewable power, so is the government looking to increase its supply of renewable hydrogen (that is: H₂ from H₂O via electrolysis powered by renewables).

“Starting in 2029, mass transit agencies in California will only be allowed to buy buses that are fully electric…Under the new rule, the state’s transit agencies will need to start updating their fleets well before 2029. Starting in 2023, a quarter of their new buses must be electric, and by 2026 that requirement will rise to half of all new buses.” (NYT).

“The agency, the California Air Resources Board, said it expected that municipal bus fleets would be fully electric by 2040. It estimated that the rule would cut emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases by 19 million metric tons from 2020 to 2050, the equivalent of taking four million cars off the road.” (NYT).

Read more:
California transitioning to all-electric public bus fleet by 2040. California Air Resources Board, December 14, 2018.
California requires new city buses to be electric by 2029. The New York Times, December 14, 2018.