Red Lake School District #38
Beltrami County, Minnesota
Red Lake School District #38
Red Lake School District #38 is Minnesota’s only school district located in a sovereign tribal nation, serving a student body that is 99.8% Native American. They have a strong mission to cultivate each student’s respect for themselves, the culture of the Red Lake Nation, and the global community. Red Lake is excited to be leaders in bus electrification by implementing 2 electric school buses and 2 chargers to their fleet.
“Schools educate leaders of the future, so it is important that school districts pave the way with initiatives such as sustainable energy programs. This important partnership also shows our Indigenous community that they have as much a right to such cutting-edge technology as any other community in the nation”
Tim Lutz
Red Lake Schools Superintendent
Events
We celebrated with Red Lake School District #38 at their Electric School Bus Ribbon Cutting Event to celebrate the district’s two new electric school buses!
Videos
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an electric bus structurally any different than a traditional bus?
No. Electric school buses are structurally identical to their traditional counterparts. They are built on the same chassis as diesel buses by many of the same manufacturers, including Blue Bird, Thomas Built Buses, and IC. Electric school buses meet all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS).
What are the health benefits of electric school buses?
Electric school buses eliminate student, driver, and community exposure to diesel fumes, which have been linked to childhood asthma, respiratory illnesses, and absenteeism. These effects are often more severe in historically marginalized and underrepresented communities.
How far can a fully-charged bus travel?
Depending on the model, a typical electric school bus can travel 100-120+ miles on a full charge. This range makes electric school buses suitable for more than 90% of all school bus routes in the United States. Electric school buses also have a regenerative braking mode that enables them to partially recharge while they’re being driven, which can help extend range.
What is vehicle-to-grid technology?
Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology allows an electric school bus to both draw energy from the grid to charge its batteries, and discharge energy from its batteries back to the grid when the community needs it. This bi-directional charging infrastructure transforms an electric school bus into a valuable Distributed Energy Resource (DER) — effectively a large battery that utilities can draw on during periods of peak demand to reduce strain on the electric grid and make communities more resilient. Utilities with V2G programs pay for this extra power, which can help reduce the cost of electrification.