GreenPower delivers its first electric school bus in Arizona

GreenPower has delivered an electric purpose-built Type D BEAST school bus to Arizona, its first in the state.

GreenPower’s BEAST – “battery electric automotive school transportation” – is a 40-foot electric school bus that seats up to 90 passengers. It features an aluminum body on a high-strength steel truss chassis.

The BEAST has a 194 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery pack and a range of up to 150 miles, and standard dual port charging, with Level 2 charging rates of up to 19.2 kW and DC fast charging rates of up to 85 kW. Wireless charging is also available as an option.

The electric school bus was delivered to Phoenix Elementary School District #1, which operates 15 schools in the center of Phoenix. Dr. Deborah Gonzalez, the Phoenix Elementary School District superintendent, said, “We are grateful to our community for passing bonds that allow us to invest in fostering a cleaner environment for our students, drivers, and community.”

In August 2022, GreenPower Motor Company moved into an 80,000-square-foot factory in West Virginia, where it manufactures the Type D BEASTs and other electric school bus models. The company aims to have 200 employees at the factory by the end of 2024 and wants to create up to 900 new jobs there.

And in October 2023, it launched the Type D Mega BEAST, which is also a Type D bus, but it has more than double the range, at 300 miles, with a huge 387 kWh battery pack. In November, GreenPower received an order for 25 Mega BEASTs for the Montebello School District in Los Angeles County.

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