City of Albany, N.Y., officials received a chance first given to NAPT Summit attendees last fall in Cincinnati: to view the new Trans Tech eTrans zero-emission, all-electric school bus during a event at the state Capitol.
The eTrans’ tour of Albany’s Empire State Plaza on Thursday included ride-along opportunities for government officials and invited media. The school bus on hand for the event is one that has been purchased by Kings Canyon (Calif.) Unified School District.
“We are excited about the Albany debut of our eTrans all electric school bus, said Trans Tech Bus President Dan Daniels. “This is an excellent opportunity for us to showcase the future of pupil transportation. We are proud of the fact that we are building eTrans in New York State; we feel New York can still be a place where innovative companies can set the standard for the world.”
The new Type A school bus, the market’s first factory-produced all-electric option, is currently under production, a company spokesman told School Transportation News. The eTrans is built on a Newton chassis with a 120-kw induction motor supplied by Smith Electric Vehicles, and lithium-ion batteries are supplied by A123 Systems. Trans Tech assembles all body components except the cab, which is manufactured by Avia Ashok Leyland Motors S.R.O in the Czech Republic. Trans Tech also assembles the rear seating, plywood flooring, exterior and interior lightning with related wiring, connects all electrical systems and paints the futuristic-looking bus.
The eTrans is expected to run about 120 to 130 miles per six- to eight-hour charge. Each bus requires a J1772-compliant charging station. The eTrans can reach speeds of 60 mph and has a capacity of 52 passengers.
Shane Kite contributed to this report.
