West Virginia, GreenPower launch all-electric school bus pilot

West Virginia, GreenPower launch all-electric school bus pilot

GreenPower Motor Company Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of zero-emission, electric-powered, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, is launching a West Virginia state pilot project to demonstrate all-electric school buses in school transportation operations across the state starting with Cabell, Kanawha and Mercer counties.

Through the pilot project done in cooperation with Governor Jim Justice, the West Virignia Department of Economic Development and the West Virginia Department of Education, three all-electric GreenPower Type D Beast school buses were deployed the week of Sept. 5 in the three counties along with the required charging infrastructure. In the coming weeks, a fourth pilot bus using the Type A Nano Beast with ADA capabilities will be deployed in Clay County.

In June, Gov. Jim Justice directed his Secretary of Economic Development Mitch Carmichael to work with GreenPower to develop a pilot project to provide real-world testing of the vehicles in areas of the state, both rural and urban, and to understand the opportunities and challenges associated with using all-electric school buses to provide safe, reliable, cost-effective school transportation.

Each county will test the electric buses for a six-week period and then each all-electric school bus will move to a different county to demonstrate the buses in different parts of the state. The data will help school districts understand more about EV school buses as they look to deploy them in their fleets on a permanent basis. Some of the data to be collected are range, charging infrastructure needs, handling and maneuverability, operating and maintenance savings and student and parent acceptance.

There are 55 public school districts in the state of West Virginia. According to the most recent School Bus Fleet Fact Book, there are approximately 2,900 school buses in operation in the state transporting approximately 220,000 K-12 public students daily. This represents 75% of the total students enrolled, making it the 10th highest school rate in the nation. The school buses today consist only of traditional propulsion systems and presently there are no electric school buses in operation in the state.

You May Also Like

MIT EV team creates open-source, hydrogen-fuel-cell motorcycle

The DM15 fuel cell module is already in use in several applications, including drones, material handling, and backup power.

MIT-Electric-Vehicle-Team-Doosan-Mobility-hydrogen-electric-motorcycle-1400

The MIT Electric Vehicle Team (MIT EVT), a student-run team on MIT's campus, is partnering with Doosan Mobility Innovation (DMI) to build a hydrogen-powered motorcycle. The team members say they believe that battery-powered vehicles (BEVs) are a stepping-off point to hydrogen vehicles (FCEVs), which can solve the range issues of BEVs and address concerns surrounding lithium mining.

Carrier Transicold debuts Supra eCool truck refrigeration

Commercial availability in North America is slated for later this year.

Carrier-Transicold-Supra-eCool-Models-1400
Ayro opens pre-orders for 2023 utility low-speed EV

Use cases for the Vanish include corporate campuses, hotels and resorts, golf courses and urban delivery.

AYRO-Low-Speed-EV-1400
Walmart receives first in fleet of electric terminal tractors

Every E-ACTT can work a 22-hour shift and is capable of recharging in as little as three hours.

Autocar-Electric-Terminal-Tractor-Walmart-1400
Volvo Trucks sees 141% heavy electric truck order increase Y/Y

Since launching its first electric truck in 2019, Volvo Trucks says it has sold almost 5,000 electric trucks.

Volvo-VNR-electric-1400

Other Posts

Autocar announces ‘Power Up’ program to finance electric fleets

The “Power Up” program is a vehicle financing solution that is designed to help customers grow their electric fleets.

Autocar-Electric-Terminal-Tractor-Walmart-1400
U.S.-Canada EV Corridor will stretch from Michigan to Quebec

The EV corridor will begin in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and will end in Quebec City, Quebec.

Us-Canada-EV-Corridor-1400
Most Americans say they would be comfortable driving an EV

However, interest in purchasing an ICE vehicle is still high, as 34% of Americans said a practical vehicle appeals most.

EV-driver-comfort-Hankook-Survey-1400
Bridgestone rolls out its first EV-specific tire

The first sizes for the Turanza EV tire include fitments for Tesla Model 3, S, X and Y, as well as the Ford Mustang Mach-E.

Bridgestone-EV-Touring-Tire-1400