GreenPower Motor Co. Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, has launched the second round of its pilot project with the state of West Virginia to demonstrate all-electric school buses in the Clay, Grant, Monongalia and Ohio county school districts. The second round of the pilot program will incorporate new terrains, colder weather and longer school bus routes.
Three all-electric GreenPower Type D BEAST school buses will be deployed in Grant, Monongalia and Ohio school districts, while Clay County will deploy the first all-electric Type A Nano BEAST with ADA capabilities in the state of West Virginia. As in the first round, GreenPower will work with the school districts to ensure adequate charging infrastructure is provided for the pilot. This is the second round of GreenPower’s pilot project done in cooperation with Gov. Jim Justice, the West Virginia Department of Economic Development and the West Virginia Department of Education.
“We are steadfast in our commitment to bring clean transportation to areas across West Virginia and beyond and are thrilled to launch the second round of our pilot project to help school districts test GreenPower’s all-electric school buses in real world scenarios,” says Fraser Atkinson, CEO of GreenPower. “The difference in topical geography and weather will provide us valuable data and a good understanding of how the buses will perform in more mountainous terrain and a colder climate.”
GreenPower will collect data from the program including range, charging infrastructure needs and usage rates, operating and maintenance, student and parent acceptance. and more. The data will provide school districts and GreenPower a look into the transition from diesel to electric school buses to better protect the health and safety of communities and children from the contamination of NOx emissions.
“GreenPower works with school districts to provide the necessary education, training and support for them to integrate all-electric school buses into their fleet,” Atkinson continues, noting that GreenPower offers a comprehensive turn-key program to school districts that include the zero-emission electric school buses, electric vehicle charging systems and infrastructure, vehicle training and maintenance, deployment assistance and general education of the benefits of all-electric, zero-emission school buses.
