SEA Electric and Midwest Transit Equipment (MTE) have partnered to update 10,000 school buses with battery-electric power-systems.

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 fraction of the cost of a new electric school bus. The deal will cover both Type A and C school buses, with deliveries scheduled over the next five years.

These buses will be powered by SEA Electric's SEA-Drive power system that currently powers buses and work trucks on four continents and six countries with over 1-million miles of real-world use.

SEA Electric will power near-new fully electric buses and are expected to extend their service life by at least 10 years, according to a news release about the deal. This partnership may reduce waste, eliminate diesel particulates, and help the health 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.

"This commitment is the most significant in this segment to-date,” said Tony Fairweather, founder and CEO of SEA Electric. “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 John McKinney, president and CEO of Midwest Transport Equipment: "This partnership will allow us to react to our customer's needs more quickly and will compliment 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."

The secondary use of school buses fitted with all-electric drivetrains makes sense, according to Mike Menyhart, chief strategy officer at SEA Electric.

“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," Menyhart said.