GreenPower debuts Mega BEAST electric school bus


GreenPower Motor, a US-based maker of medium- and heavy-duty EVs for the cargo, delivery, transit and school bus sectors, has introduced its Mega BEAST Type D school bus, which it claims has the longest range and largest battery pack in the field. The 40-foot vehicle seats up to 90 passengers and features an integrated aluminum… Read more »

BYD introduces two new bus models


Chinese EV maker BYD has introduced its 40-foot BYD B12 and its 45-foot double-decker BYD-UNVI DD13 electric bus models, the latter in collaboration with Spanish bus manufacturer UNVI. The BYD B12 integrates a lithium-iron-phosphate blade battery within the chassis structure. The battery pack has a maximum capacity of 500 kWh. BYD says the 6-in-1 controller… Read more »

New York State opens applications for $100 million in funding for electric school buses


New York State is now taking applications for grant funding for electric school buses under the $4.2-billion Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022. $100 million will be disbursed in this first tranche of a total $500 million authorized by the Bond Act. New York’s 2022 State of the State… Read more »

GreenPower sells 35 BEAST electric school buses to California school districts


GreenPower Motor, a manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty EVs, has secured new orders for 35 Type D electric school buses from two California school districts. The Garden Grove School District ordered 10 BEAST school buses, and the Montebello School District ordered 25 Mega BEAST buses. The orders were placed through GreenPower’s exclusive California dealer Model… Read more »

Solaris to deliver 55 electric buses to public transit operator Nobina Stockholm


Polish bus manufacturer Solaris has scheduled 2024 delivery of as many as 55 Urbino 15 LE electric buses to Swedish public transport operator Nobina for service on suburban Stockholm routes.   The low-entry, tri-axle, 52-seat buses feature a 240 kW central motor and battery packs with total capacity of more than 550 kWh, designed for all-day… Read more »

Blue Bird delivers its 1,500th electric school bus


Yellow school bus maker Blue Bird has delivered its 1,500th electric school bus. Modesto City Schools in California purchased the historic EV through Blue Bird’s authorized school bus dealer A-Z Bus Sales. Modesto’s milestone unit is one of 1,500 Blue Bird electric school buses now serving school districts across 41 US states. The company says… Read more »

California’s Omnitrans orders 18 battery-electric and 4 fuel cell buses from New Flyer


Omnitrans of San Bernardino Valley, which provides public transit services to 15 cities and unincorporated San Bernardino County, has placed orders for 18 battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG buses and 4 fuel cell Xcelsior CHARGE FC models with NFI subsidiary New Flyer of America. “Since 2000, NFI has delivered 300 buses to Omnitrans, and we are… Read more »

Phoenix Motorcars wins California contract for electric Type A school buses


Phoenix Motorcars has won a two-year contract with the California Department of General Services that will enable school districts to procure the company’s Z600 Type A Cutaway Chassis electric school buses without having to go through a bid process. Phoenix’s Z600 school bus is offered with both 90 kWh and 141 kWh battery pack options,… Read more »

American Battery Solutions to supply battery packs to electric bus manufacturer NFI Group


American Battery Solutions (ABS) has signed a multi-year contract with bus manufacturer NFI Group to supply custom battery packs for NFI subsidiary New Flyer’s newest 35-, 40- and 60-foot battery-electric transit buses. NFI is now launching ABS batteries into bus production for customer deliveries starting in the first quarter of 2024. ABS designed, tested and… Read more »

New Flyer increases range of its 60-foot electric bus


Bus OEM New Flyer of America, a subsidiary of the NFI Group, is now offering the option of adding a seventh and eighth battery string to its 60-foot electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG model, which was introduced in 2021. According to NFI, this 33% increase in energy storage capacity adds approximately 46 miles of range. New… Read more »