HIGH POINT, N.C. — Thomas Built Buses has received full California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) certifications for its Type C electric bus, the Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley that is powered by Proterra electric vehicle technology. The certification officially qualifies Jouley for state vouchers.
“With these certifications, we are one step closer to making electric school buses viable for the school bus market,” said Caley Edgerly, president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses.
He commented that “While this milestone is worth celebrating, we continue to work with proven leaders in the industry like Proterra and our parent company Daimler Trucks North America to create the best product possible for the school bus market. Over the past few months, we’ve been piloting Jouley with individual drivers, engaging with school districts and local agencies to shape the future of our electric vehicle offerings. We are very excited about what Jouley has to offer today and where we are heading.”
In addition to the same vehicle quality, durability, performance, safety and comfort as the popular Saf-T-Liner C2, Jouley provides quiet operation and zero emissions. Jouley features 220 kWh of energy capacity, and can charge in three hours or less, depending on the DC charging station. The operating range can be up to 120 miles, depending on various operating conditions. To date, Thomas Built Buses is the only OEM to offer a DC fast-charging power option.
“School buses are a great application for battery-electric vehicle technology and we’re excited to bring our industry-leading battery systems to the most popular Thomas Built Bus vehicle,” said Proterra CEO Ryan Popple. “In addition to greater efficiency and lower operating costs, electric school buses have zero tailpipe emissions, which eliminates exhaust emissions, and benefits our communities and our children.”
The Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school bus, powered by Proterra electric vehicle technology, will be assembled in High Point, N.C., in Thomas Built Buses’ zero-waste-to-landfill facility. Proterra’s industry-leading battery systems are designed and manufactured in Burlingame, Calif. Electric school bus production for demonstration and innovation vehicles begins in 2019, while commercial production starts in 2020.
