SEA Electric and Midwest Transit Equipment (MTE) have partnered to update 10,000 North American school buses with battery-electric power systems. MTE, one of the largest school bus dealers in the country, says it will be able to provide clients with a near new 100% electric bus at a fraction of the cost of a new electric school bus. The deal will cover both Type A and Type C school buses, with deliveries scheduled over the next five years.
These buses will be powered by SEA Electric’s SEA-Drive power system that currently powers buses and work trucks on four continents and six countries with over a million miles of real-world use globally. SEA Electric will power near-new fully electric buses and extend their service life by 10-plus years, the company says.
Each bus will have the ability to deliver full vehicle-to-grid capabilities, with the SEA-Drive power system able to feed electricity back into the power grid to improve stability when connected to a charging station.
The partnership signifies a major step forward in reducing the carbon footprint of bus fleets, while also accelerating the industry to electrification at a desirable price point. Two to three re-powered buses can be delivered at the same price as a new electric bus.
