Federal—and state and local—funding for cleaner work vehicles is hitting communities across the country. At the ACT Expo this week, electric school bus companies were happy to show off their zero-emission options.
Electric school buses are used on a schedule that aligns almost perfectly with demand response load balancing, which could provide schools with another way to reduce costs once the technology actually works. Battery-powered buses from Blue Bird, BYD, and Lion Electric were scattered on the show floor. The GreenPower Motor Company brought their bus, called the Nano Beast. And Ford announced it will start taking orders for a new school bus upfit kit that works with the all-electric E-Transit model.Ford offers the E-Transit in three different roof heights and three body lengths and in chassis cab, cutaway, or cargo van models.
Lightning eMotors was displaying its ZEV4 electric bus at the show. To build the EV, Lighting starts with General Motors' 4500 platform that is used in the GMC Savana and Chevrolet Express. Collins once again provides the yellow box components. Lightning installs its own powertrain - using Proterra batteries - and had to crash test the bus as part of being an approved electric specialty vehicle modifier for GM.