Greenpower Motor Company unveils all-electric Type D school bus: the BEAST
01 September 2021
GreenPower Motor Company Inc. has introduced the BEAST (Battery Electric Automotive School Transportation), a purpose-built, all-electric school bus. GreenPower is showcasing the BEAST at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo through today in Long Beach.
The BEAST, a 40-foot Type D battery-electric school bus, delivers up to 150 miles on a single charge via a 194 kWh battery pack. The bus can seat up to 90 passengers with standard features that include: air ride suspension, ABS disk brakes and pass-through storage.
Its seamlessly integrated body and chassis design forms a composite structure which is the GreenPower Motor Company Truss(T) factor.
GreenPower will begin initial deliveries to customers under existing contracts in the coming weeks, and anticipates that the pace of these deliveries will increase significantly by the end of the year.
In anticipation of the growth in demand from President Biden’s Federal Infrastructure Plan, GreenPower increased its school bus production from 5 units per month to 10 units per month at the beginning of the year and expects to increase production rates over time as interest in zero-emission all-electric school buses accelerates rapidly throughout the country.
I'm all for electric buses, as long as they are affordable.
IMO, the best place to use them is in already polluted cities, so they can reduce the pollution load.
I would imagine they will be expensive and a small part of the bus fleet for many years, so you should use them where they will do the most good. i.e. in cities, not out in the countryside or suburbs.
I would also recommend hybrid trolleybuses, where they can run on smaller (say 1/2 - 1/3 current size) batteries in dense areas and on overhead wires near the start and end of their runs. Thus, they can arrive at the terminus already charged up and can be turned around straight away.
Posted by: mahonj | 01 September 2021 at 01:16 AM
@mahonj. You are right, school buses are only used twice a day, however it's good PR to be seen helping kids
Posted by: dursun | 02 September 2021 at 01:22 PM
They will be cost competitive over life, and prevent a lot PM2.5 to the most vulnerable. Also V2X could make them cash generators!
Posted by: GdB | 06 September 2021 at 05:14 PM