TORRANCE, Calif. — Enova Systems Inc., along with Navistar International Corp. and its subsidiary IC Bus, will deploy 16 hybrid school buses at a number of school districts. This deployment represents the initial large-scale utilization of U.S. Department of Energy grants for clean school buses.

Enova anticipates an increase in demand for hybrid school buses powered by the company's drive system technologies. Several states and school districts have expressed interest in expanding their hybrid school bus fleets. This interest should continue to grow as more tax credits and incentives become available to ease the transition to hybrid school buses.

"This is not the first time Enova has partnered with Navistar to break new ground in clean vehicle technology," Enova CEO and President Mike Staran said. "In 2005, we collaborated on the industry's first production plug-in hybrid vehicle, and we've refined the technology since."

Over the past years, Navistar's plug-in hybrid school buses powered by Enova's efficient drive system have demonstrated improvement in fuel economy and reduction in emissions. The companies expect these efficiencies to drive further demand for Navistar's hybrid school buses.