GreenPower Motor Company is rolling out the first electric school buses manufactured at its new factory in West Virginia to school districts.
Four Type A Nano BEAST school buses will roll out of the Kanawha County factory tomorrow. (BEAST stands for “battery electric automotive school transportation.”) This week, they’ll be delivered to Cabell County, Clay County, Kanawha County, and Monongalia County school districts in West Virginia.
The Type A Nano BEAST has a 150 kW max electric motor and a LiFePo4 battery capacity of 118 kWh. GreenPower says it’s the only purpose-built, Type A electric school bus on the market. It can seat up to 24 people and has a range of up to 150 miles. It also has the option for wheelchair securements and a BraunAbility rear curbside lift.
GreenPower moved into the 80,000-square-foot facility in August 2022 and has been preparing for the production of both the Type A Nano BEAST and the Type D BEAST electric school buses. The Nano BEAST has been in production and piloted since June, and production of the BEAST will begin in the first quarter of 2024.
GreenPower CEO Fraser Atkinson said, “The state has played a critical role in reaching today’s rollout. From securing the manufacturing facility to the purchase of $15 million in GreenPower school buses, West Virginia has been the kind of partner that helps a company achieve its startup production and financial goals.”
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.
Read more: This new electric school bus has a 300-mile range
Photo: GreenPower
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