Recommended Total Cost of Ownership Parameters for Electric School Buses: Summary of Methods and Data

The document serves as a guide for school districts and fleet operators to calculate the total cost of ownership (TCO) for electric school buses (ESBs) versus diesel buses. It addresses the lack of consistent, centralized public data by providing recommended default specifications for parameters including purchase costs, maintenance, fuel economies, and charger installation. The guide also notes the upcoming expiration of the 45W and 30C tax credits due to a July 2025 budget reconciliation bill.

• Calculating the total cost of ownership for electric school buses is difficult because the necessary industry data for input parameters has not been tracked in a consistent, centralized, or public manner and varies across different sources.
• The guide provides recommended default values for key calculation parameters—such as vehicle lifetime, purchase costs, and operating costs—to assist policymakers, advocates, and school districts in their own TCO analyses.
• A budget reconciliation bill signed in July 2025 mandates the elimination of specific tax credits: the 45W credit for vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025, and the 30C credit for refueling property placed in service after June 30, 2026.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Recommended Total Cost of Ownership Parameters for Electric School Buses: Summary of Methods and Data. https://www.wri.org/research/recommended-total-cost-ownership-parameters-electric-school-buses-methods-data

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Recommended Total Cost of Ownership Parameters for Electric School Buses: Summary of Methods and Data. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/recommended-total-cost-ownership-parameters-electric-school-buses-methods-data.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Recommended Total Cost of Ownership Parameters for Electric School Buses: Summary of Methods and Data |url=https://www.wri.org/research/recommended-total-cost-ownership-parameters-electric-school-buses-methods-data |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendrecommended, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Recommended Total Cost of Ownership Parameters for Electric School Buses: Summary of Methods and Data}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/recommended-total-cost-ownership-parameters-electric-school-buses-methods-data}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }