Health, economic, and environmental impacts of electric school bus adoption: A scoping review

Children riding diesel school buses are exposed to diesel pollutants, and diesel emissions have been shown to impact cognitive development and lung function. School bus electrification efforts are in the early stages in high-income countries, with various funding programs and initiatives targeting the adoption of electric buses. As these new buses hit the roads, it is imperative that their effectiveness in reducing air pollution exposure be evaluated. This review is the first of its kind, analyzing recent case studies of early electric school bus adoption, assessing the air pollution, climate, and health benefits of converting to electric school buses, and exploring the current state of the literature on this topic. Following PRISMA guidelines, our search strategy yielded 167 studies, of which 13 met our selection criteria and were considered for the final analysis. This review establishes that emission reductions, potential health benefits, and economic savings are possible when electric school buses are adopted compared to diesel school buses. We have highlighted the importance of external funding programs, and the logistical and mechanical challenges. The geographical disparities highlight the need for electrification efforts that target marginalized and low-income communities. Significant knowledge gaps remain regarding children's health outcomes and exposure to in-cabin air pollutant levels after electrification. Case studies outside North America are lacking, and are crucial to inform policy and guide future funding efforts. We have provided a crucial analysis of current literature and produced an overview of the essential knowledge gaps that need to be addressed in future research. • Electrical school buses reduce children's exposure to toxic air pollutants. • This review identifies air quality and health benefits from early electric bus adoption. • Equity, logistics and funding gaps challenge electrical school bus adoption. • Long-term savings offset the high initial cost of adopting electric school buses. • Knowledge gaps on children's exposure to in-cabin pollutants after electrification