Some projects are built because a property owner decides to invest. Others happen because funding opens a door that wasn’t there before. The charging project at Gila Crossing Community School is squarely the second kind, and it’s a good example of how the right rebate program turns an idea into reality.
The opportunity
Gila Crossing Community School, in Laveen, Arizona, set out to bring electric school buses into its fleet. Electric buses are quieter, cleaner, and cheaper to operate than diesel, but for most schools, the upfront cost is the barrier. That’s exactly the gap the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program was created to close, directing federal dollars to help districts and tribal schools replace diesel buses with electric ones.
Crucially, that funding recognizes something we talk about constantly: buses and chargers are one system. You can’t run electric buses without dependable charging to bring them back to full each night. So the program’s support extended to the charging infrastructure, not just the vehicles. The rebate created the opportunity for the whole project.
What we installed
EvolvedEV designed and installed the charging that keeps the buses ready to roll. The site uses ChargePoint CP6021 dual-port Level 2 charging, the right fit for buses that return to the yard and charge overnight, when there’s ample time to bring them to full without oversized, expensive fast-charging equipment. We handled the work end to end: electrical, permitting, utility coordination, installation, and startup.
The impact
Once in service, the electric buses at Gila Crossing are estimated to cover on the order of 24,000 electric miles per year and avoid roughly 38,000 pounds of CO₂ annually, around 17 metric tons, compared with the diesel buses they replace. Beyond the numbers, it means students riding to school without diesel exhaust, and a fleet that costs less to fuel and maintain over its life.
Keeping it running
Electric buses only deliver on that promise if the chargers work every morning. That’s why the installation is backed by Evolved360, our monitoring and maintenance program, with 24/7 visibility, preventive maintenance, and rapid support, so charging reliability never becomes the reason a bus can’t run its route.
The takeaway
Gila Crossing is a template for how electrification actually gets funded and delivered: a rebate program creates the opening, and turnkey installation plus ongoing service turns it into infrastructure that lasts. If your organization is exploring electric vehicles, whether buses, fleet, or otherwise, the funding may already exist to help make it happen.
Talk to our team about what’s possible for your fleet.