ACOVSD will no longer be receiving EV Buses following the bankruptcy of Lion Electric in December 2024.(Photo Courtesy of The Frontier Group)
By Ryan Applegate
People’s Defender
The Adams County Ohio Valley School District (ACOVSD) has officially ended its effort to bring electric school buses to the county. District officials confirmed they have no plans to pursue the project further and will continue moving forward with their traditional diesel fleet.
The decision follows the financial collapse of Lion Electric, the Canadian manufacturer that was supposed to provide the buses under a federal grant. In May 2024, ACOVSD was awarded $1.38 million through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program. The grant was intended to fund four electric buses and the necessary charging stations. At the time, the initiative was celebrated as a step toward sustainability and cost savings.
As part of the application process, ACOVSD entered into an agreement with Lion Electric, which prepared and submitted the grant application on the district’s behalf. Once the award was announced, the district anticipated the buses would arrive in 2025. Those plans unraveled when Lion Electric entered bankruptcy proceedings at the end of 2024.
Although new investors later moved to acquire Lion and keep its Canadian operations running, the situation for U.S. customers quickly worsened. In mid-2025, the court-appointed bankruptcy monitor announced that all warranties and purchase orders for U.S. customers were void. Districts across the country that had already received Lion buses suddenly found themselves with vehicles they could not reliably service. Reports surfaced of buses that lost power steering, failed to heat properly in cold weather, and required recalls on critical systems.
For ACOVSD, the buses never arrived. District officials emphasized that no funds were spent or received in connection with the grant. But with warranties voided, the manufacturer unable to deliver, and no clear replacement option, the district decided not to pursue electric buses further.
The move is especially disappointing given the excitement that originally surrounded the program. Plans had been announced for charging stations in West Union, at the district bus garage, and at Peebles High School. Leaders hoped the project would give Ohio Valley Career and Technical Center students hands-on experience working with electric vehicles and open new career pathways in a growing field. Superintendent Dawn Wallace also noted that the grant would have eliminated the need to purchase three diesel buses for the 2024–2025 school year, saving the district roughly $600,000.
Instead, the district will stick with its long-standing approach of replacing older diesel buses with new models each year. Officials say the decision ensures fiscal stability and provides dependable transportation for students in West Union, Peebles, and North Adams.
While the promise of electric buses has faded, district leaders say their focus remains unchanged: ensuring safe and reliable transportation for every student, every day. For ACOVSD, that means continuing with the proven reliability of diesel until future opportunities make alternative fuels more practical and sustainable for local schools.
