UK-based fleet and battery storage company Zenobe has deployed 35 new electric school buses in Massachusetts, in partnership with NRT Bus, Beacon Mobility and other stakeholders, marking one of the largest single electric school bus projects in the state to date.
The rollout for Lawrence Public Schools includes 25 electric school buses and 10 electric minibuses, operated by NRT Bus, a subsidiary of Beacon Mobility. A dedicated charging site, constructed over the summer, has also been completed to support the new fleet as the 2025-26 school year begins.
The charging infrastructure was developed through a broad public-private partnership that brought together the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), Beacon Mobility, Zenobe, Sargent & Lundy, National Grid, Liberty Utilities, and the local school district.
Maggie Clancy, Zenobe’s executive vice president of U.S. EV Sales and Marketing, said: “We’re drawing on our global fleet electrification experience to bring clean transportation and its many health and climate benefits to NRT Bus, Beacon Mobility and Lawrence Public Schools. This is an excellent example of public-private partnership in action, and we believe projects like this can be as financially sustainable as they are environmentally sustainable and beneficial.”
Zenobe managed financing, infrastructure, and its battery-as-a-service model for the project. The company did not specify which manufacturer supplied the vehicles. In Massachusetts, most electric school buses to date have been supplied by Blue Bird or Lion Electric, though it is unclear if either provided buses for this deployment.