Six electric school buses in Colorado provide grid backup through bi-directional charging

Cherry Creek School District in Colorado has deployed six electric school buses that use bi-directional charging to return stored energy to the local power grid during peak evening demand. Highland Electric Fleets designed the system to discharge excess battery capacity after school runs, then recharge overnight when demand is lowest. The buses and depot facility are funded by a $2.4 million rebate collected by Highland Electric Fleets.

Why it matters: The project demonstrates vehicle to grid technology at scale in the school transport sector, offering a revenue model for fleet operators and showing how depot charging infrastructure can support grid stability while reducing operational costs.