Electric school bus trials to commence in New Mexico by GreenPower

GreenPower and Highland Electric Fleets Launch Electric School Bus Pilot Project in New Mexico

GreenPower Motor Company Inc. has signed a contract with the state of New Mexico for an all-electric school bus pilot project, in collaboration with Highland Electric Fleets. This project is a continuation and expansion of a successful pilot conducted by GreenPower in West Virginia.

The project aims to assess the transition to all-electric, zero-emission vehicles, with a particular focus on charging aspects. It will deploy six GreenPower school buses across two school years, with each school year consisting of five pilot rounds, and each round lasting six weeks.

The manufacturing of three Nano BEAST Access school buses is complete and they are ready for deployment from September 15. These buses, along with three Mega BEAST school buses, will be utilized in the evaluation of vehicle-to-grid technology during the second year of the pilot.

The Mega BEAST is a 40-foot Type D all-electric school bus offering a range of up to 300 miles on a single charge with a 387 kWh battery pack. GreenPower will provide charging systems, driver training, mechanics, and assistance to the first responders for a seamless testing period.

The charging infrastructure will include both Level 3 DC fast chargers and Level 2 slow chargers for the Nano BEAST Access school buses. In the second year of the pilot, an evaluation of Level 3 DC fast charging will be conducted with the BEAST school buses.

School districts in New Mexico are currently being selected to participate in the pilot. GreenPower will collaborate with Highland Electric Fleets for the installation and implementation of the pilot's charging infrastructure. The project will also focus on evaluating charging options and infrastructure.

The contract is worth just over 5 million USD and includes the purchase of vehicles, charging infrastructure, and the management of the pilot. The project will also evaluate range, charging rates, and grid resiliency.

This pilot project is a significant step towards the adoption of all-electric, zero-emission vehicles in New Mexico's school districts. It will allow for the evaluation of GreenPower's zero-emission school bus product and the transition to all-electric school buses.