Are hybrid buses worth it?

Buying a hybrid bus costs roughly $300k more than buying a diesel equivalent, but factoring in the fuel savings, thanks to the hybrid system and the maintenance cost reduction, permits a cool $168k saving over the 12-year lifetime of the hybrid bus, compared to the lifetime cost of the diesel bus.



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Diesel school buses are already the most fuel-efficient in the industry, due to a higher BTU count compared to other fuels, providing better fuel economy and a longer operating range compared to similar-sized gasoline, propane or compressed natural gas (CNG) engines.

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Period. Why? Diesel is the most fuel-efficient engine type on the market. Diesel outperforms other fuels in operating range.

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Pros of the Electric Bus
  • They're better for the environment. ...
  • It's cheaper to run and maintain an electric bus. ...
  • Electric buses are more convenient. ...
  • They have a higher upfront cost. ...
  • Electric buses have a limited range.


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A diesel/electric hybrid bus combines two power sources in the vehicle drive train - a conventional diesel engine and an electric motor. The hybrid system enables energy to be recovered during braking and then released to accelerate the vehicle.

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Ultimately, the general consensus may be that the flat-nose transit buses make the best conversions. A flat-nose (transit) school bus could have the engine in the front or the rear (pusher). But, there are front-engine flat-nose transit buses and rear-engine flat-nose transit buses.

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1. New York. With subways, buses, and commuter rail systems that connect all five boroughs, New York City boasts one of the most extensive public transportation systems in the world. The subway system alone, with its 472 stations and over 650 miles of track, is a prime example of efficient and reliable US transport.

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Availability was much higher during the last 8 months with an average availability of 84.7%. The battery buses had an overall average efficiency of 2.84 kWh per mile, which equates to a fuel economy of 13.3 miles per diesel gallon equivalent (mpdge).

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According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, school buses get an average fuel economy of just 6.02 miles per gallon (MPG).

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The safest seat in a school bus is generally in the middle, in an aisle seat on the right hand side, between the tires. It's safer if there's a head-on, side and rear-end collision. It is also less bumpy and jarring to the body.

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While gasoline costs per gallon typically are lower than those of clean-diesel, gasoline is less efficient compared to diesel. On average, a clean-diesel school bus can travel about 510 miles on a tank of diesel vs. only 270 miles on gasoline, based on the same standard-sized fuel tanks.

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A diesel engine requires less fuel to produce the same output as a gas engine. A conventional gas engine operates via a spark ignition system, which burns more fuel than a diesel engine's combustion system. As a result, diesel buses are more fuel-efficient per gallon and burn less fuel while idling.

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