ST. JEROME, Quebec — School bus manufacturer Lion Bus recently announced plans to develop an all-electric school bus.

An article in Journal de Montreal reports that the government is investing $675,000 in the project, and Lion Bus and its research partners — B3CG Interconnect, TM4 and the Advanced National Transportation Center — are investing a combined $350,000.

Lion Bus President Marc Bedard told the publication that since the company launched, the goal has been to develop a vehicle that stands out in the pupil transportation market. “We wanted the most energy efficient bus possible, and this project is materializing itself,” he said.

A feasibility study has been completed, and a prototype is set to be revealed in the spring. Bedard added that the company ultimately would like to produce 2,000 buses that would be sold on a 10-year scale.

Natural Resources Minister Martine Ouellet told Journal de Montreal that each bus will be able to save 8,000 liters in diesel per year (equivalent to 2,113 gallons) and approximately $10,000.

To read the article in full, click here.