Trans Tech Bus and Motiv Power Systems have developed the SST-e – an all-electric Type A school bus built on a Ford E-450 chassis and using Motiv's Powertrain Control System (ePCS).
Motiv says the ePCS, which is compatible with a wide variety of chassis, allows buses and other fleet vehicles to be compatible with any battery currently on the market. Additionally, one pack can be replaced without replacing all the batteries on the vehicle. The new SST-e school buses are available with four or five battery packs, providing districts with range options of 80 or 100 miles.
‘Our system is battery agnostic – it 'future-proofs' fleets against changes in the battery market, such as discontinued batteries or future improved technology,’ says Jim Castelaz, founder and CEO of Motiv. ‘This makes a Motiv-equipped bus the most flexible and customizable all-electric powertrain for trucks on the market.’
This initial SST-e project was partly funded through the California Air Resources Board's Air Quality Improvement Program Electric School Bus Demonstration Project. The bus will be deployed by Kings Canyon Unified School District, located in the San Joaquin Valley.
