In the Cajon Valley Union School District, electric school buses are making their rounds. Thanks to a groundbreaking project with SDG&E, eight e-buses are reducing emissions all through the town.
“The kids were buzzing with pride when we started,” said Tysen Brodwolf, the district's director of transportation and a former bus driver herself. “They call them the Lego buses because they look like giant Legos going down the road.”
“They call them the Lego buses because they look like giant Legos going down the road.”
With their iconic blue bumpers and wheels, Cajon Valley’s quieter and cleaner fleet is the culmination of an innovative collaboration between the school district and SDG&E’s Power Your Drive for Fleets program. The initiative connects local organizations with the financial and logistical resources needed to build out charging infrastructure for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles. As part of the project, SDG&E installed six bi-directional fast chargers at Cajon Valley’s bus yard in El Cajon.
This first-of-its-kind project supports California’s zero-emissions goals. It also equips buses with Vehicle-To-Grid (V2G) technology — enabling buses not in use to return electricity to the grid when it’s needed most, like on hot summer days.
V2G technology enables school buses to return electricity to the grid when it’s needed most, like on hot summer days.
As a school district known for championing green energy, adapting to the new technology has come naturally for Cajon Valley. “It’s great for the health of our students and staff,” said Brodwolf, “and, really, for our entire community.”
Supporting the electrification of school buses is one way SDG&E is reimagining clean transportation and helping to shape a net-zero future for our region and beyond.
As part of a collaborative partnership, we facilitated the historic crossing of a Class 8 heavy-duty electric freight truck from the U.S. into Mexico. These dedicated trucks will utilize infrastructure installed by SDG&E designed to provide reliable and accessible charging options for medium- to heavy-duty electric freight trucks crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.
“You're taking pollution off the roads; you're helping take pollution out of developing children's lungs.”
These projects demonstrate the positive environmental impact achievable through innovation and collaboration. “You're taking pollution off the roads; you're helping take pollution out of children's lungs,” said Brodwolf. As the program rolls out to other school districts, together, we’re paving the way for a greener and healthier future for all of us. Next stop? San Diego Unified and Ramona Unified.
Did you know that many vehicles, including Electric Vehicles (EVs), are parked up to 95% of their useful lives? (That’s time they could transform into mobile batteries and returning energy to the grid when it’s needed most.)