Image: ZumThe first phase of the project will see 104 electric school buses enter operation in August 2026. Zum and SFUSD plan to expand the fleet to a total of 238 electric buses with bidirectional charging capability by the 2027-2028 school year.The electric buses will be integrated through Zum’s Connected Mobility Experience (CMX) platform, which combines vehicle operations, charging infrastructure, routing, dispatch and real-time communication for schools and families into a single system.Zum says the buses will be capable of returning around 3 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually to the local grid during peak demand periods. According to the company, this would provide enough electricity to power approximately 1.2 million homes for three to four hours. The fleet will also serve as a distributed energy resource through V2G functionality, allowing electricity stored in school bus batteries to be fed back into the grid when vehicles are not in operation.The project is supported through grants and incentive programmes involving the US Environmental Protection Agency Region 9, the California Energy Commission, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and utility company PG&E.“Today marks a major achievement in Zum’s national electrification efforts as well as an exciting evolution of our successful partnership with San Francisco Unified School District,” said Ritu Narayan, CEO of Zum. “This state-of-the-art electric fleet, combined with Zum’s CMX technology, will improve the mobility experience for students, families, and drivers while strengthening grid reliability and resiliency for the entire community.”SFUSD Superintendent Dr Maria Su said the deployment supports both transport modernisation and sustainability targets. “This investment reflects our commitment to improving the daily experience for students and families by providing safer, quieter, cleaner, and more reliable transportation to and from school, while also advancing the district’s long-term operational and sustainability goals,” she said.“This milestone represents a historic moment for San Francisco Unified and the city’s broader sustainability goals,” said California State Senator Scott Wiener. “These electric school buses will deliver cleaner air and a quieter ride for students. During peak demand hours, the buses will return energy to the local grid, improving affordability and resiliency for the city.”Zum previously launched an all-electric school bus fleet in Oakland in 2024 and recently announced a fully electric school bus deployment for Branford Public Schools in Connecticut. The company says its mobility platform is currently used by more than 4,500 schools across 17 US states.ridezum.com, linkedin.com