Blue Bird Corporation announced Wednesday it will offer a first-of-its-kind factory certified electric repower program on select gasoline- and propane-powered Blue Bird school buses.
The company is collaborating with Lightning eMotors, a Colorado-based manufacturer of electric powertrains and complete zero-emission vehicle solutions, to jointly develop this repower electric vehicle (EV) powertrain system.
Blue Bird says customers can future-proof their school bus fleet by purchasing gasoline- or propane-powered vehicles and converting them easily and cost-effectively to zero-emission, electric buses later.
Blue Bird will launch the repower program in 2023 for gasoline- and propane-powered Blue Bird Vision Type C school buses built after September 2021. The electric repower system will enable the same performance and safety standards customers expect from OEM-built electric vehicles. Blue Bird adds the electric powertrain system will allow for several battery configurations from 100kWh to 225kWh supporting a projected vehicle range of up to 150 miles on a single charge depending on battery configuration.
The school bus conversion process from gasoline- or propane-powered to electric will be done to the same OEM safety and quality standards as a new Blue Bird bus at authorized Blue Bird and Lightning eMotors conversion centers in the United States and Canada.
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