LONG BEACH, CALIF. — ROUSH CleanTech unveiled a new Class 6 and 7 electrified drive train on a Ford F-650 chassis that could eventually be converted for school buses, giving the company a full portfolio of zero-emissions, low NOx and renewable solutions.
ROUSH CleanTech President Todd Mouw unveiled the electrified truck on Tuesday at the Advanced Clean Transportation EXPO to add to the company’s alternative fuel portfolio, which also includes propane autogas and CNG. ROUSH CleanTech currently provides the propane autogas injection system with Ford 6.8L V10 powertrain for the Blue Bird Vision, as well as the injection system for the Micro Bird G5 that is built on the Ford E-450 cutaway chassis.
Blue Bird, meanwhile, is entering into production with its all-electric Type C Vision and Type D All-American this fall, and entered a deal with ADOMANI and EDI to provide the powertrain.
“We’re loyal to our friends at Blue Bird, but they have a dance partner and we need to look elsewhere,” Mouw told School Transportation News.
Related: ROUSH CleanTech Propane System Achieves CARB, EPA HD-OBD Certification
ROUSH’s electric truck is powered by a lithium-ion battery system of up to 225 kilowatt hours and 700 volts. Depending on the vehicle’s GVWR, the company said average range will be up to 120 miles, with a top speed of 75 mph. The AC permanent magnet motor will have a continuous-rated power of 150 kilowatts, an equivalent of 200 hp, with a peak-rated power of 250 kilowatts, or 335 hp.
“Our focus will be on the commercial truck side first, and then continue to investigate the right partnership long-term for where we want to take this,” Mouw added. “The beauty of this is it’s scalable up and down the GVW chain from Class 4 through 7. But first we really want input from the end-user. We think in the school bus market there is a definite need there.”
