How viable and reliable is fast-charging across various environmental conditions? The state of New Mexico and school bus OEM GreenPower Motor Company are about to find out.

Earlier this year, the two entities agreed to start an all-electric school bus pilot project conducted in districts across the state. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) states that New Mexico will seek an appropriation of $5 million to conduct the program.

Recently, the company signed a contract with the State of New Mexico to implement the pilot. According to a company release, the contract is the result of an award made by the state under an RFP published in May.

The two-year pilot project will deploy three GreenPower Type A all-electric, zero-emission Nano BEAST Access school buses in the first school year (2025-26), and three GreenPower Type D all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission BEAST and Mega BEAST school buses in the second school year (2026-27).

The school buses will rotate around the state in five pilot rounds each school year, each round lasting six weeks. GreenPower will install charging systems and provide training for the drivers, mechanics, and the community’s first responders.

“The New Mexico pilot project provides an opportunity to expand the reach of GreenPower’s zero-emission school bus product and gives parents, kids, and school districts in the state the opportunity to evaluate the transition to all-electric, purpose-built school buses,” GreenPower President Brendan Riley said. “The project is leveraging the successful pilot that GreenPower conducted in West Virginia, but also has a concentration on evaluating charging options and infrastructure.”

First Round of Zero-Emission School Buses Rolls Out

As of September 29, the first round of the New Mexico All-Electric, Purpose-Built, Zero-Emission School Bus Pilot Project has launched at two Las Vegas public schools and a Santa Fe charter school. The Type A Nano BEAST has been deployed at the Las Vegas City Schools and West Las Vegas Schools and the Type A Nano BEAST Access at the Monte del Sol Charter School in Santa Fe.

“Las Vegas City Schools is proud to be one of three New Mexico schools participating in this first round of the GreenPower pilot project, and we look forward to seeing how an all-electric school bus can benefit our school system and students,” said Melissa Sandoval, Superintendent at Las Vegas City Schools.

According to a company release, the 2-year pilot program supports New Mexico’s dedication to the Energy Transition Act, designed to transition the state toward the goal of 100% zero-carbon electricity supply by 2045, while also providing support for affected communities and ensuring cost protections for residents.

“By focusing the first year of the project on the Type A Nano BEAST, the state and school districts will have a unique opportunity to see how the all-electric vehicle performs in differing conditions with different sets of charging infrastructure," Riley said.

“Among some of the data that will be collected is range, charging infrastructure needs, handling and maneuverability, operating and maintenance savings, student and parent acceptance, and more,” said GreenPower CEO Fraser Atkinson.

Building the Pilot and Testing Fast Charging 

In February, the MOU was signed in the office of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham by Riley and the Economic Development Department (EDD). 

New Mexico will support the program with a $5 million capital outlay appropriation to purchase all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school buses, the installation of charging stations, other resources, and management costs for the pilot.

“The EDD team has been working with GreenPower to identify a location in New Mexico to create a presence for the company in the state and encourage other EV sector supply chain entities to be part of creating a western United States manufacturing Hub,” Economic Development Secretary-Designate Rob Black said. “This MOU and the coming pilot program will showcase the state’s leadership in this industry and how our innovative business climate can help bring these cutting-edge technologies to New Mexico.”

The pilot is setting out to determine the feasibility and performance of fast charging in different environments and circumstances. This program will be available to all school districts voluntarily, with a selection criterion determined by GreenPower and EDD.

The pilot will include both Level 3 DC fast chargers and Level 2 slow chargers for the Nano BEAST Access school buses, and will evaluate Level 3 DC fast charging in the second year with the BEAST school buses.

A part of the second year will be a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) evaluation using the GreenPower Mega BEAST. The Mega BEAST is a 40-ft. Type D all-electric zero-emission school bus that delivers a range of up to 300 miles on a single charge due to its 387 kWh battery pack. 

“We are particularly interested in evaluating charging as a part of the pilot project,” said Mark Roper, director of the Economic Development Division within the New Mexico Economic Development Department. “Range, charging rates, and grid resiliency are critical components of switching to all-electric, zero-emission vehicles.”

GreenPower is partnering with Highland Electric Fleets to install and implement the charging infrastructure necessary for the pilot. In a letter to the state, Highland’s Chief Commercial Officer Brian Buccella shared the company’s commitment to supporting GreenPower in assessing charging infrastructure and creating a reliable EV pilot project in New Mexico.

Beyond the Program

Once the two phases of the pilot project are completed successfully, the MOU states that New Mexico will seek an additional $15 million for purchasing additional school buses evaluated during the pilot project.

The MOU also pledges that New Mexico will work with GreenPower to expand the all-electric, zero-emission commercial fleet at the Department of Transportation and General Services Department.

“New Mexico has an excellent workforce and is a great place for clean energy businesses,” said Riley. “We look forward to this pilot project providing the schools an experience with Class 4, Type A and Type D, all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school buses. The pilot will determine how state and local governments in New Mexico, and the entire Southwest, can be best served as the market expands for clean commercial vehicles, vans, and buses.”

The signing comes on the heels of the announcement in Washington, D.C. of GreenPower signing an MOU with Impact Clean Power Technology S.A., a Poland based manufacturer of batteries that currently supplies more than 20% of the European transit market. 

This MOU outlined the companies’ commitment to American-made lithium ion phosphate batteries in the deployment of GreenPower’s medium and heavy-duty vehicles, including its school buses.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published February 5, 2025, and was updated on August 5, 2025, and October 2, 2025, for continued relevancy on GreenPower and the State of New Mexico's all-electric school bus pilot.