SEA Electric and Midwest Transit Equipment (MTE) have partnered to update 10,000 school buses in North America with battery-electric powertrains.
It marks the biggest deal of its kind to date, which paves the way for a zero-emissions future for children’s transport. MTE, one of the largest school bus dealers in the country, will be able to provide clients with a near new 100% electric bus at a lower cost than a new electric school bus. The deal will cover both Type A and Type C school buses, with the deliveries scheduled over the next five years.
The buses will be powered by SEA Electric’s SEA-Drive power system to extend their service life by a claimed ten-plus years. This partnership promotes the ESG principle of secondary use, while reducing waste, eliminating diesel particulates and most importantly positively impacting the health and wellbeing of our students.
Each bus will have the ability to deliver full vehicle-to-grid capabilities, with the SEA-Drive power system able to feed electricity back into the power grid to improve stability when connected to a charging station.
The partnership signifies a major step forward in reducing the carbon footprint of bus fleets, while also accelerating the industry to electrification at a desirable price point. Two to three re-powered buses can be delivered at the same price as a new electric bus.
“This commitment is the most significant in this segment to-date. It not only illustrates the appetite for transition to 100% electric transport, it defines the point-in-time that the commercial vehicle industry transitioned to sustainable scale, without the need for incentives,” said Tony Fairweather, founder and CEO.
“This partnership will allow us to react to our customer’s needs more quickly and will complement new bus sales. As the industry moves towards zero emissions we are positioned well with our SEA Electric partnership to be a leader of the electrification movement,” said John McKinney, president and CEO of Midwest Transport Equipment.
“The secondary use of school buses fitted with all-electric drivetrains makes a lot of sense; it keeps costs down, opens up considerable availability, creates green jobs right here in the US all while making a difference in the environment and the health of the communities we serve,” said Mike Menyhart, president – Americas and Chief Strategy Officer at SEA Electric.
