Highland Electric Transportation has selected Thomas Built Buses Inc.’s Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school bus powered by Proterra electric vehicle technology (earlier post) and the Proterra 60kW charging system for deployment with the Beverly Public Schools, in Beverly, Massachusetts. The project represents the first all-electric school bus in Beverly and the first Thomas Built all-electric school bus in New England.

In January 2019, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) announced the availability of VW Settlement Trust-funded open grant programs aimed at reducing emissions of nitrogen oxide and greenhouse gas across Massachusetts, while supporting electrification of the state’s transportation network.

Highland Electric Transportation, based in Hamilton, Massachusetts, secured grant funding from the Massachusetts VW settlement program to acquire the electric bus.

Beverly Mayor Michael Cahill is a member of the Climate Mayors Steering Committee, a group of more than 20 mayors who will serve as a leading voice in efforts to further climate action across the US making up the Climate Mayors coalition.

A partnership has formed to deliver electric pupil transportation to Massachusetts students, which includes Highland Electric Transportation; the city of Beverly; Beverly Public Schools; the local utility provider National Grid; Proterra; Thomas Built Buses; and New England Transit, the local Thomas Built Buses dealer.

Under a new business model, Highland Electric Transportation has partnered with the City of Beverly and the Beverly Public Schools Transportation Department to deploy the Jouley electric school bus within the established transportation department’s operations.

Highland will own, fuel and pay for all maintenance, while the Beverly transportation department will drive and dispatch the vehicle within its regular operations. Highland is also working with National Grid and is deploying a vehicle-to-grid strategy with the electric school buses.

Proterra and Thomas Built Buses offer school bus operators a comprehensive, turn-key electric vehicle program that includes electric school buses, charging systems, and charging infrastructure design and installation. The Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley couples 220 kWh of total energy capacity, the highest battery capacity in the industry, with the Proterra drivetrain to offer unparalleled energy efficiency and range to meet the needs of school bus fleets. Additionally, the Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school bus can fast charge in about three hours with the Proterra DC charging system.