UniteGPS – School districts shopping around for a Type A electric bus just got a brand new option with GreenPower Motor Co.’s Nano BEAST. Meaning “Battery Electric Automotive School Transportation,” this vehicle is among the latest electric bus models en route to the market.

“The Nano BEAST offers unprecedented levels of safety and reliability for a zero-emission, Type A school bus,” said President of GreenPower, Brendan Riley, in a recent press release. 

Competing with other brands such as the BYD’s Type A electric school bus, Riley’s company developed the Nano BEAST within its versatile EV Star Platform. With 200 units, this line of medium-duty electric vehicles traditionally catered to paratransit, micro-transit, executive shuttle, vanpool, and cargo delivery service. Thanks to the novel Type A electric bus, however, school district transportation has entered the equation.

“We’ve seen the EV Star Platform exceed expectations in other industries, and we look forward to carrying this over into the school bus industry with our proven, unparalleled technology,” added Riley in the correspondence.

The arrival of the Nano BEAST Type A electric bus coincides with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s early-stage Clean School Bus Program. Districts across the country can pursue over $5 billion in funds to help them convert from diesel to zero or low-emission electric buses, with the first round of rebates reportedly starting in April.

New Type A electric bus model

According to NGT News, the all-purpose Nano BEAST can drive up to 150 miles per charge thanks to its optimized battery pack and even weight distribution. Built for robust school route coverage, the ergonomic design allows it to hold more energy while operating at longer ranges. Reports say that the model’s standard battery pack for school buses will also be the largest in the Type A market.

Considering that over 25 million students rely on school bus transportation to attend school every day in the United States, both Riley and the government initiative stress the health benefits for students by going electric.

“Providing school districts and our communities with a safer alternative to diesel-emitting school buses provides tremendous health benefits for our children, especially since NOx exhaust is a trigger of health problems like asthma and other respiratory issues,” said the president of GreenPower.