School Districts Shift Away from Electric School Buses
School districts across the United States are moving away from electric school buses made by Quebec-based Lion Electric after the company entered bankruptcy and signaled it could no longer provide adequate service and repairs.
Financial and Service Challenges
The shift follows reporting that Lion—once valued at billions—can’t meet warranty or repair obligations. The company, which received a $159 million award under federal programs to build buses for 2022–2024, has warned districts that its financial collapse prevents it from servicing its vehicles.
District Responses and Plans
Several district leaders told reporters they will keep existing electric buses running while possible but expect to return to diesel vehicles because of lower upfront costs and wider availability of repairs. Mike Leskowich, superintendent of Homer Community School District in Michigan, said his district, which used $2.8 million in federal funds to buy seven Lion buses in 2022, plans to operate the EVs as long as feasible but anticipates switching back to diesel.
Maintenance and Repair Difficulties
In ...