PUTTING THE BEAST TO THE TEST: West Virginia Sees Fourth Round of EV Bus Testing
GreenPower Appoints Electric School Bus Plant's Head of Production
The company took possession of the West Virginia facility in August 2022. John McDavid will oversee production of GreenPower's BEAST and Nano BEAST electric school buses.

Brendan Riley (right) welcomes John McDavid (left) to the South Charleston, West Virginia, facility in front of a BEAST photo in the lobby.
Photo: GreenPower
GreenPower Motor Company Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of purpose-built, all-electric, zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, announced that John McDavid has been appointed the production manager for its all-electric school bus manufacturing facility in South Charleston, West Virginia, the company announced in a press release.
"John is a highly skilled and motivated production manager with more than 30 years of manufacturing experience," GreenPower President Brendan Riley said. "He is a dedicated professional with proven success at motivating individuals and teams toward company goals and objectives. A proven leader, John inspires honesty and integrity at all levels of an organization, while utilizing his skills and abilities acquired through work experience and extensive training programs, including specialized training with Toyota and General Motors."
Most recently, McDavid served as a production engineer at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing facility in Buffalo, West Virginia, where he was a part of the vehicle electrification team and battery development team. Over the years he has also been a production manager, among other positions, for Gestamp of West Virginia.
"I believe in what GreenPower is undertaking here in South Charleston," McDavid said. "The fact that the GreenPower product is a purpose-built, all-electric vehicle and not some retrofit or a conversion makes me excited about the manufacturing opportunity. The ground-up engineering the company is doing has it far advanced of other EV manufactures who have not been as innovating as GreenPower."
McDavid said he sees the Type D all-electric, purpose-built BEAST school bus to be a signature product for GreenPower in West Virginia. "What we are doing here is huge for the state. The jobs, embracing of new technology and economic growth will help both West Virginia and GreenPower grow, prosper and succeed."
More Alternative Fuels

Alt-Fuel Moves: Fleets Power Up Beyond the Bus
See how districts are pairing electric buses with charging, solar, and V2G technology to cut costs, boost resilience, and unlock new fleet value.
Read More →
What the EPA’s Updated Clean School Bus Program Means for Fleet Electrification in 2026 and Beyond
A guide to the EPA’s evolving school bus grants, including how the Trump administration changed funding priorities and how school districts can prepare for future bus purchases.
Read More →A Solution Helping School Buses Charge Without Major Infrastructure Upgrades
Power Innovations International dishes on its EV charging technology designed to reduce infrastructure barriers, improve reliability, and support V2G applications for school bus fleets.
Read More →
New Eagle Launches All-in-One EV Control Platform
The new OpenECU NX3 platform integrates charging and vehicle controls into a single platform, with support for megawatt charging and vehicle-to-grid technologies.
Read More →
GreenPower Unveils New Heating Solution for Type A Bus
The all-electric bus manufacturer's new product aims to eliminate cold-cabin issues on its Nano BEAST zero-emission school buses operating in cold climates.
Read More →
Alt-Fuel Moves: Fleets Plug In for the Long Haul
School districts across the U.S. are moving electric school bus plans into operation, with new fleet deployments, charging infrastructure, and long-term electrification partnerships taking shape.
Read More →The Achilles Heel of School Bus Electrification: BetterFleet’s Take
BetterFleet’s managing partner discusses AI-powered EV fleet management, vehicle-to-grid challenges, and the real challenges in bus electrification today, from ACT Expo.
Read More →
You're On Your Own to Pick a Drivetrain [Op-Ed]
After years of federal pressure toward electric school buses, districts are suddenly being told to choose their own path. Let’s explore the risks, realities, and politics behind school bus drivetrain decisions.
Read More →Wattson: Thomas Built’s Largest EV School Bus Yet
Check in with Mark Childers on the new Wattson Type D electric school bus, featuring faster charging, expanded passenger capacity, and advanced safety technology.
Read More →The New Era of Electric School Buses: V2G, Bidirectional Chargers & More
The Mobility House discusses AI-powered charging, vehicle-to-grid technology, smart energy management, and the next phase of school bus electrification.
Read More →
