Fort Valley, GA — Electric vehicles have experienced significant growth in the past decade, and school buses are no exception. Since their introduction in 2018, school bus manufacturer Blue Bird Corporation (NASDAQ: BLBD), has seen a surge in demand for their 100% electric school buses. While a majority of these buses have been sold in California, the interest in electric is nation-wide, with buses being deployed all over the country.
“With districts able to obtain grant and other financial assistance, locations that we have deployed electric school buses in were the first in their state to have an EV bus in their fleet,” said Phil Horlock, president and CEO of Blue Bird Corporation. “As the only manufacturer currently producing every bus type in Electric, we can help districts start to introduce and potentially transform their entire fleet over time to zero emissions.”
School bus fleets in many states are transitioning their fleets to alternative power solutions such as propane and electric, in an effort to benefit their communities with cleaner air. “As districts continue to see the environmental benefits of low- and zero-emissions solutions, such as electric, it is inevitable for our industry to see this shift,” added Horlock. “In fact, over 50% of what we produce is an alternative to diesel, and we are prepared to meet further growth in demand.”
Electric buses built by Blue Bird are now equipped with a vehicle to grid (V2G) capability, allowing communities to use the electric buses as back-up power sources in emergency situations, as well as revenue generators through selling electricity back to the grid while the bus is plugged in during peak power use times. Electric buses also have fewer parts to maintain, which helps the district see immediate savings on maintenance costs.
“The usual concern with deciding to introduce electric in a new area is the climate – will it work in cold weather?” said chief commercial officer for Blue Bird, Mark Terry. “We have deployed buses in over 25% of all states in the U.S., including cold climates such as North Dakota and New York, as well as hot areas such as Texas and Georgia. Charging is a key part of the equation that districts should really look into, and we have an incredible dealership network that helps districts navigate infrastructure setup to ensure effective charging and operation.”
For more information on Blue Bird’s electric school buses, please visit www.blue-bird.com/electric.
About Blue Bird Corporation
Blue Bird (Nasdaq: BLBD) is the leading independent designer and manufacturer of school buses, with more than 550,000 buses sold since its formation in 1927 and approximately 180,000 buses in operation today. Blue Bird distinguishes itself from its principal competitors by its singular focus on the design, engineering, manufacture and sale of school buses and related parts. As the only manufacturer of chassis and body production specifically designed for school bus applications, Blue Bird is recognized as an industry leader for school bus innovation, safety, product quality/reliability/durability, operating costs and drivability. In addition, Blue Bird is the market leader in alternative fuel applications with its propane-powered, electric-powered and compressed natural gas-powered school buses. Blue Bird manufactures school buses at two facilities in Fort Valley, Georgia. Its Micro Bird joint venture operates a manufacturing facility in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada. Service and after-market parts are distributed from Blue Bird’s parts distribution center located in Delaware, Ohio. For more information on Blue Bird’s complete line of buses, visit www.blue-bird.com.
