GreenPower’s BEAST and Nano BEAST All-Electric School Buses Eligible for Purchase Under New EPA Announcement

EPA selectees are eligible for nearly $1 billion in funding to school districts across the nation to cause the transition to zero-emission school buses

GreenPower Motor Company Inc. manufacturer and distributor of zero-emission, electric-powered, medium and heavy-duty vehicles, lauded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its announcement of the selectees that are eligible for nearly $1 billion in funding to school districts across the nation to cause the transition to zero-emission school buses. The funding represents the first offering under the five-year, $5 billion Clean School Bus Program created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed last year.

Under the EPA announcement, the Type D GreenPower BEAST all-electric school bus is eligible for $375,000 in grant funding through the program for priority school districts and the Type A all-electric GreenPower Nano BEAST is eligible for $285,000 in grant funding in the priority districts. With either Type GreenPower school bus, an additional $20,000 in federal grant funding will be awarded by the EPA for each GreenPower all-electric school bus purchased in the priority districts for charging infrastructure. GreenPower has both BEASTs and Nano BEASTs manufactured and in inventory ready for immediate sale, delivery and deployment under the program.

“The funding under the Clean School Bus Program will transform the nation’s school bus fleet,” said GreenPower President Brendan Riley. “Accelerating the transition to clean, zero-emission school buses will result in reduced pollutant levels and a healthier ride for kids. GreenPower is pleased to be the leader in this transition through the deployment of its BEAST and Nano BEAST all-electric, zero-emission school buses nationwide.”

Nearly 26 million children ride 480,000 buses to school in the United States each day. Those buses travel almost six billion miles a year and kids spend three billion hours on them. About 95 percent of these buses run on diesel fuel, annually emitting 3,000 tons of cancer-causing soot and 95,000 tons of smog-causing compounds.

“The majority of the nation’s current school bus fleet expel tons of toxins into the air releasing harmful substances, including hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and other hazardous pollutants that adversely affects children’s health and academic performance,” Riley continued. “Children are more susceptible to air pollution than healthy adults because their respiratory systems are still developing, and they have faster breathing rates. Exposure to NOx exhaust can trigger health problems like asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory issues.”

GreenPower’s full line of electric school buses are eligible for purchase by the school districts with the funds allocated by the EPA.

• The BEAST (battery electric automotive school transportation) is an all-electric, zero-emission school bus. It features a monocoque chassis and has been designed from the ground up to be battery electric. The BEAST’s standardized features include air-ride suspension, ABS disk brakes, and pass-through storage. At 40-feet in length, it has a seating capacity of up to 90 passengers and has options that can accommodate wheelchair accessibility.
• The Nano BEAST is purpose-built on GreenPower’s flagship EV Star Platform that has proven its efficiency and reliability in a wide variety of operational settings including paratransit, airport shuttling, micro transit, cargo delivery and vanpool service. It has the largest standard battery pack for a Type A school bus on the market with a class leading range of up to 150 miles. Its clean sheet design approach facilitates optimal battery pack placement and weight distribution, allowing the vehicle to accommodate a larger energy supply, deliver a longer range and set the new standard for zero-emissions student transportation.
• The ADA Nano BEAST provides the same features as the regular Nano BEAST but is designed to accommodate ADA lift and wheelchair position requirements.

“The dealer network GreenPower has established ensures the highest quality of service and attention to detail from start to finish,” added Michael Perez, Vice President of School Bus, Contracts and Grants at GreenPower. “Just as our school buses are purpose-built, we have purposely built out a dealer network of industry leaders from coast-to-coast.”

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