SEA Electric Pilots Zero-Emission School Bus

E-mobility technology company SEA Electric has introduced a Blue Bird Type C school bus that uses a SEA-Drive 120b power system.

The pure battery-electric bus can accommodate up to 84 passengers, using technology that has resulted in more than 1.5-million miles of real-world telematics data, according to a news release.

"More and more, schools are looking to the future with zero emissions school bus technology, reducing their carbon footprint while enhancing the air quality around their campuses and local areas," said Mike Menyhart, SEA Electric's President for the Americas and Chief Strategy Officer. "In the history of SEA Electric, we have already seen an incredible movement to switch to electric school bus technology, and we are proud to service the marketplace with the most cost-effective all-electric power system in the world."

At the heart of the model is the SEA-Drive 120b power-system, which has found favor in a wide range of commercial vehicle applications across the globe.

With a maximum power of 335 hp and peak torque of 1,845 lb.-ft., the package has range of up to 150 miles between charges.

"After driving this pilot vehicle myself and comparising to a diesel equivalent driven the same day, it became abundantly clear that this transition must occur in scale and soon," CEO and founder of SEA Electric, Tony Fairweather said. "With the ability to sell at a new Type C EV price of less than $200,000 per vehicle there is no excuse for fleets to not consider EV for any and all future purchases."

The battery solution has a 138kWh capacity and a projected life cycle of more than 10 years, at which time it is envisioned that the cells would be repurposed for continued use.

Standard charging through the integrated onboard charger can be provided through Level 2, Single Phase (208/240 VAC) up to 19.2kW, while optional fast charging is achieved via standard CCS Type 1, Level 3, DC fast charging, at a rate of up to 100 kW.

Notably, the system is also Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) capable, paving the way for future power grid security and revenue opportunities.