A Chicago-based entrepreneur is taking on one of the toughest challenges in the electric vehicle world: converting massive diesel-powered school buses and firetrucks to run on batteries. While passenger car EVs have surged in popularity, retrofitting heavy-duty vehicles remains a far more complex undertaking, requiring enormous battery packs and significant structural modifications. His work offers a practical, cost-effective alternative to buying brand-new electric buses and emergency vehicles, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars more than their diesel counterparts. The effort highlights a growing niche in the green transition where older fleets are being given a second life with cleaner powertrains, potentially making electrification accessible to school districts and fire departments that can't afford the premium price tag of new EVs.
Meet the man converting school buses and firetrucks into electric vehicles WBEZ Chicago
