A spokesperson for Bridgestone said the major contributing factors to
the company’s ultra-low rolling resistance tire is a firmer compound that creates less internal friction and the tread pattern. Burleigh of Blue Bird said that tires designed for electric-powered school buses are focused on carrying the increased load from the batter- ies coupled with ultra-low rolling resistance to optimize range. IC Bus’ Maki commented that tires will be a significant focal point for
EV products. “And tire wear will be noticeably different on electric vehicles compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles,” he explained. “Electric vehicles create higher torque and utilize regenerative braking, which can reduce the life of traditional tires designed for ICE vehicles. Tire manufacturers are working to address these changes with tires designed specifically for electric vehicles that offer higher durability and lower roll- ing resistance.” Josh Holland, the vice president, dealer operations and mobility solu-
tions deployment for Bridgestone Americas, said tire manufacturers will need to ensure they are bringing products to the market that meet the demands of these new vehicle configurations, suspensions and weight. “I would not say that this poses a maintenance challenge as much as it poses a challenge for tire manufactures to design products that continue to provide the same benefits, tire life, and handling that they do today for non-EVs,” he said. But Lion’s Alexander commented that the vehicle body itself will truly
move the needle in terms of increased or maintained range as well as longer tire tread life. “Any improvement you can make [with low-rolling resistance tires] is great, but it’s not going to be near the improvement with an aerodynamics solution to the body,” he commented. “Aero- dynamic resistance squares with speed. It’s vastly more important especially at higher speeds to have some aero-efficiency than rolling resistance. It’s a pretty low percentage of overall efficiency.” When it comes to lubricant usage, electric buses also use less. While
many vehicle fleets are transitioning to synthetic lubricants, electric vehicles do not use lubricating oil as an internal combustion does, which is a considerable savings in time and cost.
New Equipment, New Opportunities The addition of electric buses to school fleets stands to benefit many
districts. Maintenance should be less, but it is still new and different and will require new maintenance management practices aimed at efficiency and overall safety. Todd Hawkins, senior vice president of maintenance for transportation
provider First Student, emphasized that properly maintained vehicles save money and maintain safety and they are prepared to adapt to it with their existing resources. “The onset of the electric school bus is bringing amazing new oppor-
tunities for our team to learn new skills,” he said. “With more than 1,200 qualified and highly engaged technicians who hold over 3,200 [Auto- motive Service Excellence certifications], our team can easily adapt and change to new technologies and innovations.” Highland’s Callender concurred. “One of Highland’s goals is to help
ensure that construction firms, drivers, mechanics, and other stakehold- ers can participate in the clean energy economy,” he added. “Our goal is also to make upgrading to electric as seamless and simple as possible for districts, so we prioritize minimizing disruption to existing operations and staff.” ●
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www.stnonline.com 31
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