GreenPower Delivers 5 BEAST Electric School Buses to California Schools
Of the five BEASTs to be delivered, four will go to the Cutler-Orosi Joint Unified School District and the fifth to the Terra Bella Union Elementary School District. More deliveries in California and Oregon are planned.
GreenPower's Type D BEAST and Type A Nano BEAST are both eligible for California HVIP vouchers and qualify for grants under the California Zero-Emission School Bus and Infrastructure (ZESBI) program.
Photo: GreenPower/School Bus Fleet
GreenPower is delivering five Type D BEAST all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school buses to two school districts in California.
Deploying Electric School Buses on the West Coast
Of the five BEASTs to be delivered, four will go to the Cutler-Orosi Joint Unified School District and the fifth to the Terra Bella Union Elementary School District.
In addition to these deliveries, in the next few weeks GreenPower plans to deliver up to four more Type D BEAST school buses to California schools, and two BEASTs to schools in Oregon, with up to an additional 20 school buses expected to be delivered in California over the next 90 to 120 days.
"Delivery of our all-electric Type D BEAST school buses in California this week shows the continued preference for GreenPower's purpose-built product in the marketplace," GreenPower School Bus Group Vice President of Sales Paul Start said. "GreenPower remains the only OEM to manufacture both a Class 4 purpose-built Type A all-electric school bus in its Nano BEAST and a Type D all-electric, purpose-built school bus in its BEAST. This product combination allows school districts to meet its student transportation needs, all while taking full advantage of state incentives and programs."
A Look at the BEAST Type D Electric School Bus
GreenPower's BEAST is a purpose-built 40-ft. Type D all-electric, zero-emission school bus with seating for up to 90 students. Designed from the ground up, it is a unified structure that features a seamlessly integrated aluminum body made from extruded aluminum manufactured by Constellium on a high strength steel Truss (bus) chassis.
The complete flat floor design allows for tracking with no obstacles, and the high floors keep students out of the crash zone.
Dual port charging is standard with Level 2 rates up to 19.2 kW and DC Fast Charging rates up to 85 kW. Wireless charging is also available as an option.
Funding Eligibility for California Schools
The Type D BEAST and Type A Nano BEAST are both eligible for California HVIP vouchers and qualify for grants under the California Zero-Emission School Bus and Infrastructure (ZESBI) program.
ZESBI grants pair zero-emission (ZE) school bus vehicle funding offered by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), with charging infrastructure funding offered by the California Energy Commission (CEC).
A total of $500 million is appropriated by Senate Bill (SB) 114 for ZESBI for Fiscal Year 2023-24.
Of that amount, $375 million is allocated to support the replacement of old school buses with ZE school buses and $125 million is allocated to support complementary infrastructure and associated costs. ZESBI utilizes a joint application for vehicles and infrastructure. The joint application will close on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024 at 5:00 P.M. PST.
More Alternative Fuels
Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Extend Clean School Bus Program Through 2031
The proposed legislation would renew federal support for cleaner school buses as districts navigate funding uncertainty, rising fuel and infrastructure costs, and fleet replacement needs.
Read More →
Alt-Fuel Moves: Electric Bus Rollouts, Bidirectional Charging & Propane Growth
See which fleets are adding electric and propane school buses as districts and operators invest in charging infrastructure, bidirectional technology, and alternative-fuel expansion.
Read More →
Nobody Told Diesel Prices They Were Supposed to Come Down
With diesel prices surging, school bus fleets have new reason to stress-test fuel costs, consider diversification, and calculate what each route really costs to operate.
Read More →
Why Gasoline School Buses Are Making a Comeback
Gasoline is gaining ground in full-size school buses. See how today’s options stack up against diesel on cost, maintenance, emissions, performance, and more.
Read More →
EPA Opens $180M DERA Funding Round for Diesel Upgrades
The 2026 Diesel Emissions Reduction Act program seeks applications from eligible organizations to accelerate the retirement of legacy diesel vehicles.
Read More →
The Secret Life of an Electric School Bus Battery
Batteries change throughout years of daily routes, but degradation doesn’t necessarily mean the end. Here’s what operators should know about performance, safety, and second life.
Read More →
CALSTART and Forth Combine to Form Catalyst Mobility
The new name represents a renewed vision for the nonprofit focused on advancing clean, equitable, and affordable transportation solutions that move people and goods.
Read More →
Alt-Fuel Moves: New Buses, Charging Hubs & Real-World EV Testing
Propane and electric school bus deployments continue to grow as districts add new vehicles, expand charging infrastructure, and gather more real-world operating data.
Read More →
Fewer Electric School Bus Models Reshape the U.S. Market
WRI’s latest buyer’s guide points to a consolidating electric school bus market, but fewer options may reflect a maturing industry rather than fewer meaningful choices for school bus operators.
Read More →
The Fuel Budget You Can Actually Predict: How Propane Autogas Keeps Money in the Classroom
Learn how propane autogas helps school districts manage fuel costs with predictable pricing, lower maintenance, and reduced emissions from former transportation director Joel Stutheit.
Read More →