Thanks to an innovative partnership between Con Edison and First Student—North America’s largest school transportation provider—12 electric school buses will soon take students to class in Brooklyn, N.Y.

The initiative, supported by a $9 million investment by Con Edison, enables the schools to replace diesel-fueled buses with electric buses that produce zero emissions, reduce air pollution, and provide cost savings on fuel and maintenance.

Four of the electric buses are now operational, and the full fleet of 12 buses will be on the road the first day of school in 2025. The buses will be charged using smart energy management software, which will provide further cost savings by optimizing when the buses are charged.

“New York’s children and families deserve clean air, which is why we are proud to partner with First Student to launch more electric school buses on our streets,” said Con Edison Director of E-Mobility Britt Reichborn-Kjennerud. “Con Edison will continue to make critical investments in clean energy so that every New Yorker can have a higher quality of life and thrive in communities free from the harmful impacts of pollution.”