Moving to electric buses will have challenges. Cornell University researchers completed a two-year study in Ithaca and found that electric buses struggled with cold weather, becoming unreliable with reduced range.
Researchers found that batteries in electric buses consumed 48% more energy between temperatures of 25 and 32 degrees.
They also found getting a battery to the proper temperature takes a lot of energy as does getting the inside of the bus warm. Cold weather also impacts brakes.
Solutions include putting buses inside when not in use and during charging. It could have implications for New York's plans to transition to all electric school bus fleet by 2035.
