BROOKLYN, N.Y., – First Student, North America’s largest student transportation services provider backed by EQT Infrastructure, and Con Edison, today announced the completion of the first phase of an electric school bus project serving the New York City Department of Education. The project brings together electric school buses, First Student’s First Charge infrastructure solution, advanced bi-directional charging technology, and a cost-effective approach to fleet electrification in one of the nation’s most complex urban environments.

“We’re incredibly proud of the work we’re doing with Con Edison and the progress we’re making together to advance electric school bus transportation,” said John Kenning, CEO and President of First Student. “Our mission is to provide the safest, most reliable, and efficient ride to school, so that students arrive ready to learn and achieve their full potential. Living that mission means continuing to live our values, including setting the highest standards for student transportation. Safety will always be at the heart of everything we do, and we’re proud to pair that commitment with innovation that is improving the sustainability of student transportation.”

At the center of the project is First Charge, First Student’s innovative trenchless, modular charging infrastructure solution that reduces costs and accelerates time to market. By avoiding traditional underground trenching, the installation reduced infrastructure construction costs by 13% while minimizing construction complexity and disruption, an especially important advantage in dense urban environments like New York City.

“Con Edison supports innovation to help make transitioning to electric vehicles affordable for our customers,” said Vicki Kuo, senior vice president of Customer Energy Solutions at Con Edison. “Eliminating the need to bury the service line to these chargers lowers the upfront costs for First Student and is a strategy that other fleet owners can replicate to save money and complete projects more quickly. Replacing inefficient, fossil fuel-powered buses with vehicles that produce no tailpipe emissions will help keep our region sustainable.”

Con Edison and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) contributed funding for the project. The funding included six bus vouchers awarded through NYSERDA’s New York School Bus Incentive Program through First Student’s school bus manufacturer, International, as well as funding for four retrofit buses.

This project is also exploring ways to decrease energy costs for fleets. Using advanced load management software, the electric school buses charge during off-peak hours when energy is less expensive, not only decreasing complexity but also ensuring energy is used efficiently.

First Student is continuing to expand its electrification operations in New York with the addition of 40 new electric school buses. First Student is also considering additional initiatives at its Brooklyn facilities, including expanded solar use and the creation of a smart energy hub.

NYSERDA is supporting the purchase of six electric school buses for this project through the New York School Bus Incentive Program and through First Student’s vendor, International, and four retrofit buses through the New York Truck Voucher Incentive Program.

“This project is exactly the kind of critical infrastructure investment to which EQT is committed across our portfolio – pairing patient, long-term capital with practical innovation that strengthens energy security and accelerates the shift to cleaner transportation,” said Crosby Cook, Partner at EQT Infrastructure. “First Student’s work with Con Edison demonstrates that the right partnership between fleet operators and utilities can make electrification more affordable and scalable.”

“Electric school buses offer a healthier, quieter transportation experience for students while reducing pollution in the communities they serve,” said New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris. “Projects like this demonstrate how thoughtful planning, innovative charging solutions, and strong partnerships can help lower costs and accelerate the deployment of electric school buses in New York City and across the state.”

“Deploying electric school buses at scale requires more than vehicles; it requires the right infrastructure, technology, and utility partnership,” said Kevin Matthews, Head of Electrification at First Student. “Working with Con Edison, we’ve demonstrated a more efficient approach that can help overcome some of the cost and construction challenges that have traditionally made fleet electrification difficult in dense urban environments.”

During the 2025-26 school year, First Student operated approximately 490 electric school buses, with more than 550 additional vehicles on order. The company has surpassed 11.2 million miles driven in electric buses.

To learn more about First Student, visit www.firststudentinc.com.

About First Student
First Student, the leading student transportation services provider in North America, safely transports millions of students across the U.S. and Canada each day. With a fleet of more than 48,000 vehicles and a workforce of highly trained drivers, the company partners with school districts, divisions, and boards to deliver safe, reliable, and efficient transportation solutions that families can depend on. Recognized as a CIO 100 Award winner and named to the TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2026 list, First Student provides a range of transportation services, including special-needs transportation, routing and fleet management, vehicle electrification, maintenance services, and charter transportation. Through its proprietary HALO technology platform, First Student is helping shape the future of student transportation by integrating safety, operations, maintenance, workforce management, and customer communications into one intelligent transportation ecosystem that enhances safety, improves operational performance, and creates a more connected transportation experience for students and families. Learn more at https://firststudentinc.com

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Heliox, A Siemens Business, a leader in EV charging solutions, introduces the H60D fast charger, a compact, high-utilization solution designed for a wide range of vehicles including cars, buses, and trucks. The system combines a dynamic power allocation between its two CCS1 outlets, broad EV and backend compatibility, and flexible mounting options to support higher charger usage across a wide variety of sites.

The H60D enables two parallel charging sessions from a single unit, cutting both hardware spend and footprint while increasing the number of vehicles that can be served at each location. Both outlets can operate simultaneously and share power dynamically, allowing operators to either deliver the full 60 kW to one vehicle or distribute power between two vehicles as demand shifts throughout the day. With 60 kW rated output and up to 150 A maximum DC current, the charger delivers efficient DC charging for a variety of cars, buses, and trucks, helping reduce overall charging time and keep assets in service.

EV compatibility is supported by US-based in-house testing and development capabilities, ensuring seamless integration. The charger’s flexible design allows deployment as wall- or pedestal-mounted and in either networked or standalone configurations, so operators can scale and customize installations to match site constraints and operational priorities. A new RFID capability expands driver access management, enabling Heliox products to deliver flexible authentication across fleet operations. Peak efficiency above 96% minimizes power losses and energy use while maximizing energy delivered to vehicles. A NEMA 3R-rated enclosure enables safe, reliable operation indoors or outdoors and is engineered to stand up to daily wear and tear, expanding siting options from depots and yards to parking lot environments. A compact, low-profile enclosure helps operators fit chargers into new or existing facilities with minimal disruption, further decreasing benchmark installation time through design improvements.

Built for interoperability and future-readiness, the H60D supports the SAE J1772 (CCS Type-1) standard, providing compatibility with the dominant North American DC fast-charging connector. A broad 200–1,000 V DC output range enables support for today’s and next-generation commercial EV battery platforms, protecting infrastructure investments as vehicle technology evolves. Communication based on open standards, incl. OCPP 1.6J and OCPP 2.0.1, enables robust vehicle-to-charger connectivity and supports advanced smart-charging capabilities.

Engineered and manufactured in the United States, the H60D leverages domestic engineering and production quality standards, with system-wide durability and thermal upgrades that support consistent performance over the product’s lifecycle. Rated to operate from -22°F to +131°F, the charger delivers reliable performance across diverse climates and seasonal conditions, enabling nationwide deployment strategies without extensive customization.

To support long-term reliability and predictable lifecycle performance, the H60D includes a standard 24‑month warranty and optional preventative maintenance programs that help operators maintain high uptime and optimize asset performance over the charger’s service life. This comprehensive support model gives fleets and site hosts confidence that their charging infrastructure will perform reliably and remain a strong, future-ready asset in their operations.

About Heliox, A Siemens Business
Heliox, A Siemens Business, delivers world class EV charging equipment, services, and robust solutions for a broad range of EV fleets. Our portfolio encompasses all aspects of smart and efficient AC and DC charging infrastructure, including IoT-connected hardware, software, and a comprehensive service offering. Designed and manufactured in North America, Heliox builds UL and CSA compliant products that also meet Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) standards. Heliox’s high-quality, field-proven charging products are now backed by Siemens’ financial strength, global reach, and long-term stability—delivering the best of both worlds.

For more information, visit www.heliox-energy.com.

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PORTERVILLE, Calif. — Porterville Unified School District (PUSD) is set to develop a comprehensive solar, battery energy storage, microgrid, and electric vehicle (EV) fleet charging project to meet the District’s intersecting energy, transportation, and resilience needs with clean, renewable, lower-cost electricity.

To develop the project, PUSD has partnered with ForeFront Power, a leading developer and asset manager of commercial and industrial-scale renewable energy solutions, as well as The Mobility House (TMH), an independent charge management provider. The project is being funded in part via a U.S. EPA Clean School Bus (CSB) Program grant, which the district secured with support from CALSTART, a nonprofit organization that connects businesses, government agencies, and industry partners to accelerate the adoption of clean transportation technologies.

The PUSD Zero-Emission Transportation Infrastructure Project and Microgrid will include a 763 kW solar array mounted on existing shade structures at the District’s north and south parking lots, along with a 408 kW / 1632 kWh battery storage system to store solar energy, provide resiliency, and discharge power to shave peak demand. A microgrid controller will enable the facility to disconnect from Southern California Edison’s electrical grid when needed, drawing power directly from the District’s on-site solar energy and battery storage assets.

The solar-plus-storage system will support 35 DC fast charger ports to serve the District’s planned fleet of electric school buses. These fast chargers will be connected to The Mobility House’s charge management system, ChargePilot®, which will enable the fleet to draw power directly from PUSD’s on-site energy systems in tandem with grid electricity. The EV charging infrastructure will also include eight charging ports in the north parking lot that will serve the District’s “white fleet.” Two of the eight chargers will feature bi-directional charging capability, which enables an EV to function as a “battery on wheels,” storing and discharging power back to the grid with vehicle-to-grid services (V2G). V2G technology will help the District support grid resilience, offset energy expenses, and extend an additional clean energy resource to students, staff, and the broader community.

Both V2G and microgrid technologies are integral to Porterville’s resiliency strategy, which includes protecting the broader community in the event of emergencies and power outages, such as Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events.

“We are excited to advance this important infrastructure project, which supports the District’s long-term goals for sustainability, energy resiliency, and responsible stewardship of public resources,” said Brad Rohrbach, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, Porterville Unified School District. “This project represents a significant investment in our students, schools, and community, while helping position the District for a more efficient and sustainable future. We are grateful to CALSTART for their critical support in helping the District secure this grant through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. We also appreciate the partnership and expertise provided by ForeFront Power and The Mobility House.”

Upgrading the District Fleet, A Community Lifeline

Located in Tulare County in California’s Central Valley, the Porterville region experiences some of the nation’s worst air quality, which disproportionately affects student respiratory health. PUSD serves more than 14,000 TK–12 students across 22 campuses, 88.9% of whom are from socioeconomically disadvantaged households, making the District’s transportation fleet a critical lifeline for many students who rely on school buses for access to education and extracurricular activities. In response to these conditions and rising energy costs, the District launched its PUSD Energy & Sustainability Program in 2019, aiming to reduce energy costs and GHG emissions by 80% by 2030, and is pursuing this EV infrastructure project as a key pillar of the program.

Once complete, the 1,171‑kW solar, battery storage, and microgrid system is expected to produce nearly 1,425,000 kWh of clean, renewable electricity annually. This onsite generation, combined with smart dispatch of the battery and V2G resources, is designed to offset approximately 80% of the District facilities’ electricity consumption—including the anticipated annual SCE utility bill for electric bus charging—and avoid an estimated 21,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions over the 30‑year project lifecycle. The District’s plan to transition all school buses to electric by 2035 will save an additional 15,000 metric tons in avoided CO₂ emissions from reduced tailpipe pollution, bringing their total expected CO₂ emissions reduction over the same 30-year period to approximately 37,000 metric tons. This is equivalent to the GHG emissions from over 3.6 million gallons of diesel fuel burned.

Public-Private Partnership Enables Long-Term Budget Certainty and Savings on Electricity and Fuel

Designed, engineered, and developed by ForeFront Power, the future project is designed for an expected lifetime of 30 years. During this period, PUSD will partner with ForeFront Power for ongoing Asset Management services. This project will provide PUSD with budget certainty while reducing its dependence on fossil fuels to power its fleet. The transition to electric buses will lower fuel and maintenance costs and provide long-term savings over the project’s lifetime, protecting PUSD’s budget from increasing diesel and utility rates.

“We applaud Porterville USD for pursuing this innovative project for zero-emission infrastructure,” said Dr. Ruben Fontes, CEO at ForeFront Power. “When complete, this clean energy portfolio will serve as a national model for how vulnerable communities can mitigate rising energy and fuel costs, improve public health, meet ambitious climate goals, and protect themselves from climate emergencies.”

“We are glad to be a part of such an innovative and ambitious project to benefit the school district and community of Porterville,” said Greg Hintler, CEO of The Mobility House North America. “Clean energy technologies such as solar microgrids, electric school buses, and V2G have enormous potential to provide clean and affordable energy and transportation solutions for school districts and communities across the country.”

U.S. EPA’s Clean School Bus Program Delivers for Porterville

The upcoming project is anchored by a major federal investment through the U.S. EPA’s Clean School Bus (CSB) Program. Porterville Unified School District has secured federal grant funding to replace diesel buses with zero‑emission buses and install fast charging and clean energy infrastructure. As part of this award, the EPA funds Porterville USD directly, and CALSTART serves as the District’s technical and project management partner—handling implementation support, monitoring and reporting, workforce and community programs, and positioning the District for future federal and state grant opportunities. PUSD has also pursued other funding opportunities including California Air Resources Board and California Energy Commission’s Zero Emission School Bus and Infrastructure (ZESBI) incentive project.

“PUSD’s commitment to decarbonize their fleet is transformational for the San Joaquin Valley, for the broader Porterville community, and for school districts that are navigating similar transitions. Funding programs that reduce capital costs are critical to make these school electrification projects possible.” said Valerie Thorsen, P.E., Regional Director at CALSTART. “PUSD is not only transitioning their fleet, but they have also provided EV internships in partnership with Climate Action Pathways for Schools and are actively enabling clean energy jobs through their Academy of Energy and Resource Occupations (AERO) Pathways Program.”

Procurement Assisted by Joint Power Authority SPURR and the PAVE Program

PUSD procured its Zero-Emission Transportation Infrastructure Project and Microgrid by leveraging the Procurement Assistance for Vehicle Electrification (“PAVE”) Program. The PAVE Program is managed by SPURR, a joint powers authority dedicated to helping the California public sector control and reduce utility expenses. PAVE is designed to help public agencies streamline the procurement process for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure through an easy infrastructure roadmap and a single source for planning, installation, and management of complicated multi-phase EV charging infrastructure projects. Through PAVE’s integrated RFP process, the District selected ForeFront Power to develop, finance, and construct its EV charging infrastructure project, and The Mobility House (TMH) as its charge management technology provider.

Advancing PUSD’s Climate Action Pathways for Schools (CAPS) Student Initiative

This upcoming project will also advance PUSD’s Climate Action Pathways for Schools (CAPS) initiative by linking classroom learning, career pathways, and real-world clean energy infrastructure. Through CAPS-aligned project-based units, energy audits, and analysis of the District’s solar, energy storage, and EV charging systems, students will use the campus as a living lab to build skills in renewable energy, sustainability, and conservation. Porterville USD, ForeFront Power, CALSTART, and The Mobility House have also developed a community outreach program to educate local residents on the clean transportation and air quality benefits of the microgrid and EV transportation infrastructure, along with hands-on CAPS internships that provide experience in zero-emission fleet operations while advancing district climate and sustainability goals.

About Porterville Unified School District

Porterville Unified School District (PUSD) is located in the heart of California’s Central Valley at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains in Tulare County. Serving a diverse community of over 13,000 students, PUSD is dedicated to the mission of ‘Creating Opportunities: Changing Lives’. The district operates a comprehensive network of schools, including elementary, middle, and high school sites, and is a leader in regional Career Technical Education (CTE) and sustainability initiatives. PUSD serves a rich, multicultural population, with a deep commitment to supporting English Learners and providing equitable access to high-quality academic and vocational pathways for all students.

About ForeFront Power

ForeFront Power is a leading provider of energy solutions and advisory services. This includes commercial and industrial-scale (C&I) solar energy and battery storage projects in the U.S. and Mexico, as well as fleet electrification and asset management services. With over 15 years of experience, the ForeFront Power team has developed more than 1,900 behind-the-meter and community solar projects, totaling more than 1.6 gigawatt-DC of renewable electricity. In addition to project development and asset management, ForeFront Power provides strategic advisory services that help organizations navigate complex energy decisions—from sustainability and procurement planning to renewable project implementation. The company serves a wide array of business, government, education, healthcare, and community solar customers from its San Francisco headquarters and through teams based in New York, Mexico City, and across the U.S. For additional information, please visit www.forefrontpower.com.

About The Mobility House

The Mobility House is shaping the zero emissions future of energy and mobility. Our resilient charging technology makes EV charging reliable and flexible, and provides drivers the freedom of zero emissions, zero cost charging. We integrate flexible charging with energy systems to stabilize the electrical grid and free it from fossil fuels. Across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and North America, The Mobility House currently manages more than 2,700 EV fleet charging facilities, charges hundreds of thousands of electric vehicles, and trades power from more than 1 GWh of energy storage.

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Hydroelectric energy is the “backbone of clean power,” but an urgent need to improve efficiencies is driving engineers to explore a whirlwind of options Among alternative energy solutions, wind, solar, and hydrogen capture the majority of attention. Yet the combined output from these sources pales in comparison to that of hydroelectric power. Producing more than …

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There are many benefits to entering the world of EV ownership. If you’re in the market for a new vehicle and are considering switching from gas-powered to electric, you’re probably wondering about the cost differences and how they’ll affect you long term. If you’re ready to shop the different used cars for sale, we have plenty of electric cars for sale in Madison, WI, at our dealership: cars that will save you money long-term.

The Tax Benefits

Unlike gas-powered vehicles, electric vehicles qualify owners for a significant tax credit. Most popular electric vehicle models qualify for this incentive, and the total tax credit ultimately depends on the vehicle’s battery size. Drivers who choose hybrid models will receive a lower tax credit than those who choose fully electric vehicles, in which case you can expect several thousand dollars in federal incentives.

Fuel Savings

Buying an electric vehicle means you’ll no longer have to plan regular trips to the gas station, search for the cheapest or least crowded station, and fight over pumps when the prices rise or there’s yet another gas shortage. You’ll save thousands of dollars yearly in fuel costs because you won’t have to rely on gas to power your vehicle.

Plus, you can take advantage of the many free public charging stations at restaurants, universities, gas stations, and other locations all over the country. Whether driving around your local area or heading out on a road trip, you can search for free charging stations online with an interactive map that will give you links to locations throughout the country.

You’ll Save Money on Vehicle Maintenance

Because electric vehicles require fewer parts than traditional vehicles, the maintenance costs are far cheaper than gas-powered vehicles. Drivers who choose electric vehicles may spend 40% less on maintenance costs than those who own gas-powered vehicles.

Shopping for Used Cars for Sale? Consider an EV

If you’re in the market for a pre-owned vehicle, you can’t go wrong with an electric option. In the long run, you’ll benefit from tax incentives, save money on fuel and maintenance, and help the environment.

At Zimbrick Automotive, we have electric vehicles that can meet the needs of drivers with all different lifestyles and budgets. Whether you’re looking for an economical or luxury vehicle, we have plenty of options. The most popular automotive brands, like BMW, Porsche, Audi, GMC, Chevrolet, Mercedes-Benz, and more, have designed some incredible electric options, and we carry them here at our dealership.

If you want to enter the electric vehicle world, our expert team can help you choose the right option at the right price. Visit us today at Zimbrick Automotive to browse our new and pre-owned electric vehicle inventory, learn more about the advantages of driving an EV, and test drive your favorite model.

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