GreenPower Motor Company, a manufacturer and distributor of all-electric, zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles serving the cargo and delivery market, shuttle and transit space and school bus sector, today unveiled the Mega BEAST. This newest version of GreenPower's all-electric Type D school bus provides double the range with the same functionality as GreenPower's trusted and reliable BEAST all-electric school bus that is deployed in school bus fleets across the country.
GreenPower's Mega BEAST is a 40-foot Type D all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school bus that delivers a class-leading range of up to 300 miles on a single charge via a 387 kWh battery pack. It provides for the longest range and has the biggest battery pack in the school bus market. The Mega BEAST can seat up to 90 passengers with standard features that include air ride suspension, ABS disk brakes and largest pass-through storage available. Featuring a modern monocoque chassis, the Mega BEAST is the safest, most durable and reliable all-electric school bus available today. Its seamlessly integrated aluminum body and chassis design forms a composite structure which is the GreenPower Truss(T) factor.
Unveiled today at the National Association of Pupil Transportation's (NAPT) Conference and Trade Show in Columbus, Ohio, the Mega BEAST is designed to provide the answer for longer range routes and other desired uses by a school district. The extended range created by the larger battery pack is an ideal solution for many rural school districts with longer routes, school districts with less chance for mid-day opportunity charging, school districts that face extreme weather conditions and schools that also use the all-electric bus for extra-curricular activities.
Riley also noted that the larger battery size of the Mega BEAST is desirable for V2G applications where there is a need to use the battery as energy storage and not just for transportation purposes. "V2G is becoming a common-sense tool that helps to create a more reliable grid, promote clean energy and reduce costs. The larger battery of the Mega BEAST has the ability to provide for a more healthy and stable electric grid and community stability in areas where it is deployed and V2G is used," he said.
It will be manufactured in the U.S. at GreenPower's facilities in both California and South Charleston, West Virginia beginning in 2024.
