Daily EV news · US · 20 September 2026
Electric Vehicles
New York pilot cuts electric school bus charging costs by 20 per cent with overhead lines
New York City is adding 40 electric school buses to its Brooklyn and Queens fleet after a Con Edison pilot showed that above ground charging infrastructure can reduce installation costs by 20 per cent. The First Charge system from First Student runs electrical lines overhead rather than burying them, cutting construction work in paved bus yards and speeding deployment. The project offers a model for dense urban areas seeking to electrify large fleets without major trenching or high infrastructure spend, according to Electrek.
Why it matters
The 20 per cent cost saving and faster installation timeline make overhead charging a viable procurement option for municipal and school bus operators in space constrained urban sites. Reducing civil works lowers the barrier to large scale fleet electrification, particularly where underground utilities or paved surfaces complicate traditional charger installation.