Envirotech Vehicles, Inc. (EVT) has made the first deliveries of its Bumble Bee electric school bus to the independent school districts of Freer, Blanket, Waelder, and Kopperl, Texas.

Funding for the buses was provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Program. 

Envirotech expects to deliver 25 total electric buses to school districts in Texas and Arkansas, with an aggregate of $8,570,000 awarded under the CSB program to support these deliveries.

The EVT fast charging 100% electric school buses being delivered get up to 150 miles range with zero emissions and zero noise pollution.

Jason Maddox, president and interim CFO of Envirotech, emphasized the EPA award toward the delivery of the buses, as well as the potential for future deliveries if the program receives additional federal funding. "Delivering 25 buses against our current EPA backlog will be a significant achievement," he said. "We are equally excited about the potential for a new tranche of EPA funding, which would help to support continued strong growth in electric bus orders for Envirotech and its shareholders."

Freer ISD Superintendent of Schools, Conrad Cantu, said: "Freer ISD is proud to receive our first Bumble Bee electric school bus from EVT. We are grateful to the EPA's Clean School Bus Program for the funding that made it possible. The students of Freer ISD will benefit greatly from the zero emissions bus and can expect a quiet and clean ride to and from school."

Cantu told School Bus Fleet that the new bus will replace one older diesel bus for the upcoming school year. He plans to also use it for out-of-town trips due to the storage room underneath. The district picked this bus since the OEM reached out to them and offered to help facilitate the grant process.

Last February, the company announced its Houston headquarters, and in 2023, that pre-orders were open and its buses conform with the EPA Clean Air Act.