Daily EV news · US · 19 April 2026
Electric Vehicles
Illinois school district deploys 10 electric buses with federal grant support
District 65 in Evanston, Illinois, will operate 10 new electric school buses from the next academic year, funded by approximately $3 million in federal grants secured by the district and state. Contractor Positive Connections purchased the buses at around $350,000 each and installed five dual charging ports at $75,000 per unit. Superintendent Angel Turner cited reduced air pollution, quieter rides and lower emissions as key benefits for students.
Why it matters
The project demonstrates how federal grant programmes enable school transport electrification at scale, with transparent unit economics ($350,000 per bus, $75,000 per dual port) that inform similar procurement decisions. It also highlights the role of contracted operators in deploying publicly funded EV fleets.