SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va., – GreenPower Motor Company Inc. (Nasdaq: GP) (TSXV: GPV) (“GreenPower”), a leading manufacturer and distributor of purpose-built, all-electric, zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles serving the cargo and delivery market, shuttle and transit space and school bus sector, today announced its first orders for the Type A all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission Nano BEAST school bus for the New York market through its dealer Leonard Bus Sales.
“Today marks the next phase of GreenPower’s entry into the New York school bus market,” said Michael Perez, GreenPower’s Vice President of School Bus, Contracts and Grants. “We have worked closely with Leonard Bus Sales to be on the state contract, meet the state specs and be listed by NYSERDA. School districts throughout the Empire State are looking forward to deploying GreenPower school buses when making the switch from NOx emitting diesel buses to a cleaner, safer ride for their students.”
Chatham Central School District, a quintessential rural community in Upstate New York, has placed the first order for a GreenPower Type A Nano BEAST. Another Nano BEAST purpose-built school bus will serve as a demo vehicle that Leonard Bus Sales will use to introduce schools throughout the state to GreenPower’s offerings of all-electric school buses.
“GreenPower’s Nano BEAST, as well as the BEAST, are excellent options for school districts in New York that are making the switch from conventionally powered buses to battery electric,” said Jon Leonard, President of Leonard Bus Sales. “The combination of GreenPower’s purpose-built school buses and the unparalleled service and support provided by Leonard Bus Sales makes it very easy for school districts to begin transitioning their fleets to all-electric.”
With the recent announcement that Governor Kathy Hochul opened the application process for $100 million in funding for zero-emission school buses, early adoptors will now have the opportunity to purchase GreenPower school buses with financial help from the state and the ability to start planning all-electric deployments in advance of the 2027 state electric school bus mandate.
New York accounts for about 10% of the school bus fleet nationwide with approximately 50,000 school buses transporting 2.3 million children. New York State’s fiscal year 2022-2023 budget established a nation-leading commitment for all new school buses purchased to be zero-emission by 2027 and all school buses in operation to be electric by 2035. The budget includes funding to help districts transition to all-electric buses with an additional $500 million through the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022. The application process will open on November 29. Leonard Bus Sales and GreenPower are available to help school districts through the funding process.
About GreenPower Motor Company, Inc.
GreenPower designs, builds and distributes a full suite of high-floor and low-floor all-electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles, including transit buses, school buses, shuttles, cargo vans and a cab and chassis. GreenPower employs a clean-sheet design to manufacture all-electric vehicles that are purpose-built to be battery powered with zero emissions while integrating global suppliers for key components. This OEM platform allows GreenPower to meet the specifications of various operators while providing standard parts for ease of maintenance and accessibility for warranty requirements. GreenPower was founded in Vancouver, Canada with primary operational facilities in southern California. Listed on the Toronto exchange since November 2015, GreenPower completed its U.S. IPO and NASDAQ listing in August 2020. For further information go to www.greenpowermotor.com.
About Leonard Bus Sales:
Leonard Bus Sales, Inc. (leonardbus.com) is owned and operated by the Leonard family, a recognized leader in the distribution and support of quality, environmentally friendly school buses. A third-generation family-owned business, Leonard Bus Sales has been providing cost-saving fleet management services and award-winning customer support for more than fifty years. Leonard Bus Sales is a leading distributor of IC BusTM brand buses in Upstate New York, distributes Trans Tech Type-A school buses and GreenPower buses throughout New York. The company operates full-service facilities in Bergen, Deposit, Middletown, Rome and Saratoga Springs.
