Blue Bird’s Vision Electric Bus Available in 2018
Blue Bird Corporation (NASDAQ: BLBD) unveiled its all-new Blue Bird
Vision Electric Type C school bus at the NAPT conference in Columbus,
OH. The electric powertrain is supplied by ADOMANI (ADOM), with
drivetrain and vehicle control software developed and produced by their
technology partner, Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI).
The latest in the lineup of Blue Bird electric buses integrates the
ADOMANI/EDI drivetrain and vehicle control software and telematics,
delivering zero-emissions driving with outstanding vehicle performance
and torque. Blue Bird’s all-new Type C bus features up to 100 miles of
electric range, with a full charge time of under 8 hours by utilizing a
Type 2 charger and a battery capacity of 150kWh. This announcement
follows a recent unveil of Blue Bird’s Type D All American Rear-Engine
Electric school bus at the STN tradeshow in July 2017, powered by the
same ADOMANI/EDI partnership.
“We are excited to reveal our latest alternative-fuel option for the
school bus market in 2018,” said Phil Horlock, president and CEO of Blue
Bird Corporation. “We want to offer the broadest range of school bus
products in the market and take pride in leading the industry in propane
and gasoline-powered school buses. Electric-power is the next step on
our journey, and our exclusive partnership with ADOMANI/EDI will bring
both Type C and Type D electric buses to our customers next year. Blue
Bird strives to be first to market in offering customers smart,
innovative and affordable solutions that they want and value.”
The electric drivetrain technology used in Blue Bird’s Vision and All
American RE Electric vehicles has already been proven on the road in
over 2.5 million miles of driving. Further, Blue Bird pioneered its
first electric bus in 1994 for a Southern California demonstration
project and has extensive on-road experience. This experience enabled
Blue Bird to secure a $4.4M Department of Energy grant earlier this year
to develop a Vision Type C electric-powered bus, with full Vehicle to
Grid (V2G) functionality. In partnership with ADOMANI/EDI, Blue Bird
will deliver these products.
“The drivetrain has a proven track record of success in EV applications,
and has performed extremely well in multiple testing scenarios,” said
Jim Reynolds, president and CEO of ADOMANI. “Add that to Blue Bird’s
proven, safety-driven bus design, and you won’t find a better EV bus
product out there.”
Prior to the unveiling at NAPT, Blue Bird hosted an “Electric
Ride-and-Drive” event at the NAPT Convention, with over 100 school
district representatives in attendance. It featured their recently
unveiled Blue Bird All American RE Electric bus and customer response
was outstanding.
“The ride and drive feedback has been outstanding,” said Mark Terry,
Blue Bird’s chief commercial officer. “Customers love the quiet ride and
the proven drivetrain solution: many are already looking at placing
orders as soon as the bus becomes available.”
The new bus will be available in 2018.
About Blue Bird Corporation: Celebrating its 90th year
in business, Blue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) is the leading independent
designer and manufacturer of school buses, with more than 550,000 buses
sold since its formation in 1927 and approximately 180,000 buses in
operation today. Blue Bird’s longevity and reputation in the school bus
industry have made it an iconic American brand. Blue Bird distinguishes
itself from its principal competitors by its singular focus on the
design, engineering, manufacture and sale of school buses and related
parts. As the only manufacturer of chassis and body production
specifically designed for school bus applications, Blue Bird is
recognized as an industry leader for school bus innovation, safety,
product quality/reliability/durability, operating costs and drivability.
In addition, Blue Bird is the market leader in alternative fuel
applications with its propane-powered and compressed natural gas-powered
school buses. Blue Bird manufactures school buses at two facilities in
Fort Valley, Georgia. Its Micro Bird joint venture operates a
manufacturing facility in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada. Service and
after-market parts are distributed from Blue Bird’s parts distribution
center located in Delaware, Ohio. For more information on Blue Bird’s
complete line of buses, visit www.blue-bird.com.
About ADOMANI: ADOMANI, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADOM) is a provider of
zero-emission electric and hybrid vehicles and replacement drivetrains
that is focused on reducing the total cost of vehicle ownership. ADOMANI
designs its drivetrain systems to help fleet operators unlock the
benefits of green technology and address the challenges of traditional
fuel price instability and local, state and federal environmental
regulatory compliance. ADOMANI designs advanced zero-emission electric
and hybrid drivetrain systems for integration in new school buses and
medium to heavy-duty commercial fleet vehicles. ADOMANI recently opened
a new headquarters location in Corona, California and maintains an
administrative office in Silicon Valley.
About Efficient Drivetrains :Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI)
develops and markets a range of state-of-the-art PHEV and EV drivetrain
solutions worldwide. EDI’s leading-edge hybrid-electric drivetrain
systems and technologies enable OEMs to meet zero-emissions requirements
while providing significant cost and efficiency advantages for parallel
and series hybrid, and electric drivetrain architectures across nearly
all platform classes and configurations. EDI is active in commercial
automotive projects throughout North America and the APAC region. Visit www.efficientdrivetrains.com for
more information.
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