UC Irvine converts to all-electric bus fleet

University of California, Irvine is poised to be the first college campus in the nation to convert its buses to an all-electric fleet, completely scrapping all traditional diesel fuel-powered buses. The student-funded and operated Anteater Express shuttle service is acquiring 20 buses from BYD (Build Your Dreams) and will provide more than 2 million pollution-free rides annually.

UCI Purchasing partnered with Student Affairs to complete negotiations for this project over several months which resulted in 1.436 million dollars in savings.

"Working with Snehal and his team has been an absolute pleasure! UCI Purchasing listened to our needs as a team (Student Government & Student Media, Anteater Express & Student Affairs) and determined what would be best for the university in terms of long-range operations, sustainability, and the student experience. Because of their contract knowledge and savvy negotiation skills, they were able to help us secure a phenomenal contract for 20 all-electric buses for Anteater Express and UC Irvine. They essentially helped us become the first university in the nation to go all-electric. More importantly, Purchasing  looked out for us as fellow colleagues first and not just as another project, which was the most important aspect for us,” said Stephanie N. Van Ginkel, Executive Director, Student Government & Student Media.

Going all-electric supports the University of California’s pledge to emit net-zero carbon greenhouse gases from buildings and vehicles by 2025. UCI will slash tons of carbon dioxide and harmful soot annually by replacing diesel with electric buses.

While the Anteater Express all-electric expansion project is almost complete, the Purchasing team will continue to assist with additional projects under this master project, including the construction of the new parking lot where the electric buses will be housed.

“I personally look forward to having UCI Purchasing continue to work with our team and seeing this expansion come to full fruition in the fall. Having them as a resource is key to our growth in Student Government & Student Media and brings us closer toward achieving the university's strategic goals," commented Stephanie N. Van Ginkel.