More than 100 electric school buses, powered by a Cummins fully-electric drivetrain, have been ordered to date from Blue Bird Corp, the company announced.
Blue Bird electric buses are already operating in California, North Dakota and Washington. Additional buses on order will transport students in California, Colorado, New Jersey, New York and Quebec later this year or in 2020.
“The amount of interest has been outstanding; people are very excited about a 100% electric-powered school bus,” said Phil Horlock, president and chief executive officer of Blue Bird Corporation. “The nation is increasingly influenced in electric vehicle transportation in general, and we anticipate rapid growth of electric school buses as more districts are educated on the zero-emissions and low-maintenance benefits they bring to their local communities.”
Blue Bird recently partnered with the Cummins Electrified Power business segment. Cummins produces the all-electric drivetrains that power Blue Bird’s Vision Electric and All American Electric buses. Over the next three years, Cummins is investing $500 million in electrification to bring dependable, high quality, fully-electric and hybrid solutions to market across a wide range of applications, the companies shared.
The Blue Bird electric buses produce zero emissions, improve air quality and require less maintenance, the company says. The buses are capable of up to 120 miles of range and can be recharged in approximately eight hours using a standard SAE J1772 Level 2 charger.
