GreenPower Motor Company Inc. has introduced a new, advanced heating solution engineered in house for its Type A Nano BEAST all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school bus. The company said it is designed to address and eliminate cold cabin issues experienced during winter months. This innovative system ensures that students and drivers remain comfortable, regardless of outside temperatures, by efficiently delivering consistent warmth throughout the vehicle’s cabin while showing little to no impact on range.
The solution was developed as a direct response to feedback from school districts and transportation providers who encountered challenges maintaining cabin heat in all-electric school buses. GreenPower’s engineering team worked to integrate the heaters with the Nano BEAST’s electrical systems, ensuring optimal performance without sacrificing range or efficiency.
“At GreenPower, the safety and comfort of students are of utmost importance,” said Brendan Riley, president of GreenPower. “Our new heating solution, which will become part of our cold weather package, demonstrates GreenPower’s commitment to continuous improvement and innovation in the electric school bus industry. We are confident that this enhancement will set a new standard for all-electric school bus performance in cold climates while maintaining zero-emission standards.”
The heating solution was developed through extensive testing in the company's New Mexico pilot project. Field trials in high-elevation communities such as Cuba and Shiprock provided valuable insights, allowing GreenPower engineers to design a system that quickly warms the cabin and maintains optimal temperatures throughout school routes.
By reducing the energy required for frequent reheating, the new heaters also help extend the Nano BEAST’s operational range.
As a result, Cuba School District experienced a significant improvement in cabin warmth and overall performance. Cuba, New Mexico (elevation 7,000 feet), can experience single-digit temperatures in the early morning hours. It was taking too long for the bus to heat up in the mornings and because of that they were not able to use it on cold mornings. With GreenPower’s new heating solution, the district saw the bus warm from 17 degrees to 84 degrees in 30 minutes during the standard pre-trip inspection time. More importantly, the temperature held for the entire route without impacting range on the long route.
A similar result played out at another pilot school in New Mexico at Central Consolidated Schools in the rural community of Shiprock (elevation 5,000 feet). “The new heaters warm the bus quickly each morning and that is very important to us. Our kids safety and comfort are our No. 1 priority in school bus transportation,” said Rodney Armenta, director of operations for Central Consolidated. “The EV school bus was extremely quiet as noted by both the driver and students, and it handled well. The addition of the new heating system provided the necessary warmth and allow it to run the morning and afternoon routes and still be able to do a mid-day route as well, all with just a Level 2 charger.”
Melrose Municipal Schools bus driver and principal Dickie Roybol added that the heated battery packs ensure consistent charging and a reliable state of charge each morning. “With the heated battery packs we experienced no issues in overnight charging even when the weather was super cold,” he said.
The cold weather package, designed as a result of the New Mexico pilot, includes the heating solution and heated battery packs. According to GreenPower, other solutions rely on non-electric heaters and risk losing zero-emission status, while GreenPower’s cold weather package preserves the Nano BEAST’s eligibility for incentive funding and maintains its standing as a fully zero-emission vehicle.
