GreenPower Motor Co. announced that the company has completed manufacturing of its first four all-electric, purpose-built school buses at its West Virginia facility.
The Type A Nano BEAST school buses will be delivered to Cabell County, Clay County, Kanawha County and Monongalia County school districts in West Virginia, according to the company.
“Less than 24 months ago, GreenPower joined Governor Jim Justice in announcing our plans to manufacture school buses here in West Virginia to meet the demand for zero-emission school buses on the East Coast,” said GreenPower CEO Fraser Atkinson. “Those plans have come to fruition with the manufacturing of the first four Nano BEAST school buses being completed at the South Charleston facility.”
GreenPower took possession of the 80,000-square-foot facility in August 2022. Since that time, the company has prepared for the production of the Type A Nano BEAST and the Type D BEAST all-electric, purpose-built school buses. The Nano BEAST has been in production since June, and production of the BEAST will begin in first-quarter 2024.
“Setting up a new manufacturing facility for the production of all-electric, purpose-built school buses is not an easy task,” said GreenPower President Brendan Riley. “I am proud of the GreenPower team for reaching this milestone in the progression of our company. A local workforce being trained and educated by both GreenPower’s senior production staff and BridgeValley Community and Technical College has led us to the production of these first buses and will be the foundation for our long-term manufacturing presence here in the Mountain State.”
Atkinson noted that the completion of the first GreenPower all-electric school buses is as a result of an economic partnership with the state of West Virginia.
“The state has played a critical role in reaching today’s rollout,” Atkinson said. “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 Nano BEAST is a Type A all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school bus with seating for up to 24 students. The Nano BEAST Access option has seating for up to 18 ambulatory passengers and up to 3+ Q’STRAINT wheelchair securements, complemented with a BraunAbility rear curbside lift.
Production processes are in place at the facility to begin manufacturing of the BEAST, GreenPower’s all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission 40-foot Type D school bus that can seat up to 90 passengers.
GreenPower also will manufacture the newly announced Mega BEAST option in West Virginia. The Mega BEAST option is a 387-kWh battery with up to 300 miles of range, according to the company.
