Zum Wins 2025 Electric Innovation Award for Modernizing Student Transportation

Zūm today announced that it has received a 2025 Electric Innovation Award for modernizing student transportation through technology and electrification.

Zum won in the “Power for All” category, featured in this video, for its groundbreaking vehicle-to-grid technology and bidirectional charging that sends energy from electric school bus batteries to the local grid.

“I am deeply honored to share this Electric Innovation Award with our dedicated team at Zum as well as the school districts and communities nationwide that we’re privileged to serve,” said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO at Zum. “Through technology and electrification, we have disrupted student transportation, a $50B industry that has seen little change in the past 80 years. This award affirms Zum’s mission to ensure safe, reliable and equitable rides for children — and to help power the grid with renewable energy.”

The Electric Innovation Awards recognize four breakthrough projects that “represent the kind of high-impact, scalable solution that can truly transform sectors, shape public policy and accelerate the adoption of electric technologies across the U.S.”

“Electrification holds the power to supercharge America’s future. We can create over 25 million new jobs, help everyday Americans save money and reduce pollution with today’s technologies,” said David Hochschild, Chair of the California Energy Commission and co-founder of Electric Innovation. “Our Electric Innovation Awardees bring us closer to recognizing the power of the electrification movement, thanks to their innovative solutions and partnerships. We are thrilled to launch our 10-year initiative by recognizing these trailblazers, connecting them to others, and amplifying our collective efforts to create a brighter future for us all.”

The awards were presented Sept. 24 in New York during Climate Week NYC. Speakers at the ceremony included former U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm; Doreen M. Harris, President & CEO of NYSERDA; Sonia Aggarwal, President of Climate Imperative; and David Hochschild, Chair of the California Energy Commission.

To learn more about the Electric Innovation Awards, visit www.electricinnovation.org.

We are honored to be recognized and appreciate all of the families and schools nationwide who support Zum’s mission!