Santa Maria Joint Union High School District is the first to receive GreenPower’s B.E.A.S.T. electric school bus.

The electric bus delivery, facilitated by GreenPower’s national distributor Creative Bus Sales, adds to the district’s fleet of over 30 school buses, according to a news release from the manufacturer.

GreenPower’s B.E.A.S.T. (Battery Electric Automotive School Transportation) is a Type D electric school bus with a range of up to 150 miles and a 194kWh battery pack. The bus can reportedly seat up to 90 passengers with standard features that include air ride suspension, ABS disk brakes, and pass-through storage.

 “This first B.E.A.S.T. delivery represents the culmination of several years of planning and a great deal of hard work that has gone into the production ramp over the last several quarters,” Brendan Riley, president of GreenPower, said in the release. “We are now in position to see B.E.A.S.T. deliveries accelerate through the end of the year and well beyond.” 

Jason Hohalek, school bus sales manager at Creative Bus Sales, added, that “There is an incredible amount of excitement around the B.E.A.S.T. and this initial delivery will help propel the product to the next level. The vehicle is a complete solution that allows school districts to get all the bells and whistles, but most importantly, ensures that we are providing a safe, reliable, emissions free ride for students, drivers, and the surrounding community.”