GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — School bus manufacturer Thomas Built Buses is expanding its alternative-fuel options with a CNG-powered Minotour small bus. The company said production is scheduled to begin during the first quarter of 2014.
The new Type A CNG Minotour, which will be converted by IMPCO Automotive in Union City, Ind., at an ISO 9001:2008 certified facility that produces on average 3,000 to 5,000 vehicle conversions each year. The CNG Minotour will utilize a GM six-liter engine on the 4,500 series cutaway chassis.
Thomas added that the 30-passenger bus will utilize Type 1 CNG tanks with a 26 gasoline-gallon equivalent fuel capacity. It will be CARB-certified and exceed EPA 2010 emissions requirements.
“We debuted our very first compressed natural gas bus over 20 years ago,” said Kelley Platt, president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses. “Since then, we’ve put more than 2,000 CNG buses on the road, and we are proud to add the new CNG-fueled Minotour to our family of alternative-fueled buses.”
Other alternative-fuel options from Thomas include a propane-powered Minotour and the HDX transit-style CNG. Also available in early 2014 will be a propane Saf-T-Liner C2 conventional.
