Home » GreenPower Announces Production of its First All-Electric School Buses at West Virginia Manufacturing Facility

GreenPower Announces Production of its First All-Electric School Buses at West Virginia Manufacturing Facility

fleetnewsdaily | December 14, 2023

GreenPower’s Type A Nano BEAST and Type D BEAST all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school buses at the company’s South Charleston, West Virginia

GreenPower Motor Company Inc. manufacturer and distributor of purpose-built, all-electric, zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles serving the cargo and delivery market, shuttle and transit space and school bus sector, announced that the company has completed manufacturing of its first four all-electric, purpose-built school buses at its West Virginia facility. The Type A Nano BEAST school buses will roll out of the facility today and be delivered to Cabell County, Clay County, Kanawha County and Monongalia County school districts in West Virginia this week.

“Today marks a significant achievement for all-electric, purpose-built school bus production in the United States,” said GreenPower CEO Fraser Atkinson. “Less than 24 months ago GreenPower joined Governor Jim Justice in announcing our plans to manufacture school buses here in West Virginia to meet the demand for zero-emission school buses on the East Coast. Those plans have come to fruition with the manufacturing of the first four Nano BEAST school buses being completed at the South Charleston facility.”

GreenPower took possession of the 80,000-square-foot facility in August of 2022 and since that time has prepared for the production of both the Type A Nano BEAST and the Type D BEAST all-electric, purpose-built school buses. The Nano BEAST has been in production since June and production of the BEAST will begin Q1 of 2024.

“Setting up a new manufacturing facility for the production of all-electric, purpose-built school buses is not an easy task,” said GreenPower President Brendan Riley. “I am proud of the GreenPower team for reaching this milestone in the progression of our company. A local workforce being trained and educated by both GreenPower’s senior production staff and BridgeValley Community and Technical College has led us to the production of these first buses and will be the foundation for our long-term manufacturing presence here in the Mountain State.”

Atkinson noted that the completion of the first GreenPower all-electric school buses is as a result of an economic partnership with the state of West Virginia. “The state has played a critical role in reaching today’s rollout. From securing the manufacturing facility to the purchase of $15 million in GreenPower school buses, West Virginia has been the kind of partner that helps a company achieve its startup production and financial goals,” he continued.

“West Virginia is in a period of prosperity and growth, and we are fortunate to have GreenPower leading the way in our new energy and technology economy. I, for one, am honored GreenPower selected West Virginia for its eastern US all-electric school bus production facility and look forward to the growth and future success of the company in our state,” said Delegate Roger Hanshaw, Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates. “My goal is that today is only the beginning of what future GreenPower production and employment opportunities will look like in West Virginia.”

Today marks the first manufacturing of the Nano BEAST and Nano BEAST Access option from the South Charleston plant. The Nano BEAST is a Type A all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school bus with seating for up to 24 students. The Nano BEAST Access option has seating for up to 18 ambulatory passengers and up to 3+ Q’STRAINT wheelchair securements, complemented with a BraunAbility rear curbside lift. Production process are in place at the facility to begin manufacturing of the BEAST, GreenPower’s all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission 40-foot Type D school bus that can seat up to 90 passengers. Featuring a modern monocoque design, the BEAST is the safest, most durable and reliable all-electric school bus available today. Its seamlessly integrated aluminum body and chassis design forms a composite structure which is the GreenPower Truss(T) factor. The newly announced Mega BEAST option with a 387 kWh battery and up to 300 miles of range will also be manufactured in West Virginia.

What officials are saying about the first production of GreenPower all-electric, purpose-built school buses in West Virginia:

“Today marks a significant milestone for the state of West Virginia as GreenPower has completed production of the first group of all-electric, zero-emission school buses in our state. Not only is GreenPower providing cleaner, safer transportation to students, but they are also providing incredible employment opportunities for West Virginians, giving those same kids a reason to stay in the state for good paying jobs. I look forward to GreenPower’s continued success in West Virginia and the positive contributions this company will bring to the future of our state.” – Senator Craig Blair, West Virginia Lt. Governor and President of the West Virginia Senate
“The production success of GreenPower highlights the positive outcomes of partnerships. When state, county and city officials team up with companies like GreenPower, the results are staggering. Economic activity and job creation by a company like GreenPower helps to bolster our 21^st century economy providing for the next generations of the state’s workforce.” – Senator Eric Tarr, Chairman of the West Virginia Senate Finance Committee
“I’ve been on this journey with GreenPower since the day they announced their intent to manufacture all-electric, purpose-built school buses in West Virginia. As a school bus driver myself in Raleigh County, I’ve had the privilege of driving GreenPower’s all-electric school buses and can say, without a doubt, they are the safest, most quiet and smoothest ride I’ve been on. The fact that these buses are manufactured here in West Virginia brings me great pride.” – Delegate Christopher Toney, Vice Chairman of the West Virginia House of Delegates Committee on Education
“The state of West Virginia is grateful for GreenPower’s investment and commitment to our communities. Promoting excellent education for our students goes beyond the classroom, including a safe and healthy ride to and from school and extracurricular activities. When GreenPower started operations here in the Mountain State I said that Monongalia County wants one of these school buses. Today I had the pleasure of driving the very first Nano BEAST all-electric school bus produced in South Charleston from the manufacturing facility for my county school system.” – Delegate Joe Statler, Vice Chairman of the West Virginia House of Delegates Committee on Education
“We take great pride that GreenPower’s all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school buses are built right here in Kanawha County. The creation of clean energy jobs that GreenPower’s manufacturing facility provides means more than can be imagined to Kanawha and the surrounding counties. I am grateful for GreenPower’s promising community impact, and I look forward to the company’s future successes.” – West Virginia State Senator Eric Nelson
“Thanks to GreenPower, Kanawha County West Virginia is now seen as the home to the manufacturing of all-electric, purpose-built school buses for markets up and down the East Coast. The jobs that were created to produce this first set of buses is just the beginning of what this company’s production means to both the county and state.” – Kanawha County Commissioner Ben Salango
“South Charleston is proud to be the location where GreenPower all-electric school buses are manufactured. I have said many times that GreenPower is an important part of our economic diversification in the state. South Charleston is a city on the rise and GreenPower is an important component of our economic engine.” – South Charleston, West Virginia Mayor Frank Mullens