LOS ANGELES, Calif. – GreenPower Motor Company Inc. (NASDAQ: GP) (TSXV: GPV) (“GreenPower”), a leading manufacturer and distributor of purpose-built, all-electric, zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles serving the cargo and delivery market, shuttle and transit space and school bus sector, today announced the company has received three orders for 11 Type D all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission BEAST school buses for school districts in Arizona, California and Oregon.

“As school districts continue to make the change from NOx emitting diesel school buses to a cleaner, healthier means of transporting students, school district transportation departments are pursuing the gold standard of the industry the GreenPower all-electric, purpose-built BEAST and Nano BEAST school buses,” said Paul Start, GreenPower’s Vice President of Sales School Bus Group. “With 2025 fast approaching, the GreenPower school bus order pipeline and production schedule are both at record levels with sales projections for next year set to eclipse the 2024 calendar year.”

The three orders announced today are:
From GreenPower’s exclusive California dealer Model 1 for seven BEASTs for the Los Banos Unified School District in Los Banos, California.
From GreenPower’s exclusive Arizona dealer RWC Group for two BEASTs for the Casa Grande Elementary School District in Casa Grande, Arizona.
From GreenPower’s exclusive Oregon dealer Peterson Trucks for two BEASTs for the Hood River County School District in Hood River, Oregon.

GreenPower’s BEAST is a purpose-built 40-foot Type D all-electric, zero-emission school bus with seating for up to 90 students. Designed from the ground up as an EV, it is a fully integrated structure that features a strong and corrosion resistant aluminum body made from extruded aluminum, manufactured by Constellium, seamlessly mated to a high strength steel Truss (bus) chassis. The complete flat floor design allows for adjustable track seating with no wheel wells in the passenger compartment, and the high floor keeps students out of the impact zone. Combined port charging is standard with Level 2 rates up to 19.2 kW and DC Fast Charging rates up to 85 kW, allowing for full charging in less than three hours.

About GreenPower Motor Company, Inc.
GreenPower designs, builds and distributes a full suite of high-floor and low-floor all-electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles, including transit buses, school buses, shuttles, cargo vans and a cab and chassis. GreenPower employs a clean-sheet design to manufacture all-electric vehicles that are purpose-built to be battery powered with zero emissions while integrating global suppliers for key components. This OEM platform allows GreenPower to meet the specifications of various operators while providing standard parts for ease of maintenance and accessibility for warranty requirements. GreenPower was founded in Vancouver, Canada with primary operational facilities in southern California. Listed on the Toronto exchange since November 2015, GreenPower completed its U.S. IPO and NASDAQ listing in August 2020. For further information go to www.greenpowermotor.com.

The post GreenPower Announces Order of 11 BEAST All-Electric School Buses for Western U.S. Markets appeared first on School Transportation News.

MONTREAL — The Lion Electric Company (NYSE: LEV) (TSX: LEV) (“Lion” or the “Company”), a leading manufacturer of all-electric medium and heavy-duty urban vehicles, announced today that the Company and its subsidiaries have applied to the Superior Court of Quebec (Commercial Division) (the “Court”) for an initial order to seek protection from their creditors under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (“CCAA”). The Company and its subsidiaries also intend to seek recognition of the CCAA proceedings in the United States under Chapter 15 of the Bankruptcy Code.

In its application for an initial order, the Company seeks the approval of a formal sale and investment solicitation process (“SISP”) in order to provide interested parties with the opportunity to submit proposals with a view to enabling the Company and its senior lenders to determine the highest and best available transaction for the Company and its stakeholders.

The initial order application seeks, among other things, a stay of proceedings in favor of the Company and its subsidiaries, including a stay of creditor claims and exercise of contractual rights, and the authorization of an interim debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing to be provided by the lenders under the Company’s senior revolving credit agreement in order to fund the SISP and the Company’s operations during the restructuring process. Approval is also being sought for the appointment of Deloitte Restructuring Inc. as monitor to oversee the CCAA proceedings and report to the Court. While under CCAA protection, management of the Company will remain responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Company under the oversight of the monitor.

This announcement follows the press release issued by the Company on December 17, 2024 announcing the expiry of the covenant relief period under the Company’s senior revolving credit agreement and maturity of the Company’s loan agreement with Finalta Capital and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Quebec.

Trading in the common shares and other listed securities of the Company on the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) and the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) has been halted. The TSX has also put the Company under delisting review under its expedited review process. It is anticipated that trading in the Company’s listed securities will continue to be halted until completion of the review undertaken by the TSX and the NYSE regarding the suitability of the Company for listing on the TSX and the NYSE.

About Lion Electric

Lion Electric is an innovative manufacturer of zero-emission vehicles, including all electric school buses. Lion is a North American leader in electric transportation and designs, builds and assembles many of its vehicles’ components, including chassis, battery packs, truck cabins and bus bodies.

Always actively seeking new and reliable technologies, Lion vehicles have unique features that are specifically adapted to its users and their everyday needs. Lion believes that transitioning to all-electric vehicles will lead to major improvements in our society, environment and overall quality of life.

The post Lion Electric File Application for Credit Protection Under the CCAA appeared first on School Transportation News.

The deadline passed for Lion Electric Company to repay loans needed to overcome hundreds of millions in debt, but the school bus manufacturer is not heading into bankruptcy, a company spokesperson said.

The statement made to School Transportation News on Tuesday came amid a Lion press release earlier in the day that highlighted use of the Companies Credit Arrangement Act (CCAA), a Canadian federal law dating back to 1933 that allows insolvent companies to avoid liquidation. This occurs through court-directed compromise or arrangement made by a debtor company and its secured creditors.

Lion on Wednesday formally applied for CCAA protection. It also said it will seek recognition of the CCAA process under chapter 15 of the U.S. bankruptcy code.

In the press release on Tuesday, Lion said it “is currently in discussions with its senior lenders to obtain additional funds pursuant to a new debtor-in-possession credit facility and expects to seek creditor protection” under the CCAA as it seeks to restructure its business and financial affairs. Lion added it pursues a formal sales and investment solicitation process for the company’s business or assets.

The Lion spokesperson referred to the CCAA proceedings as a “stable and structured environment” for various restructuring measures under a Revolving Credit Agreement with two lenders represented by the National Bank of Canada and a loan agreement with Finalta Capital Fund that expired on Monday. No timeline was given for when the CCAA agreements will be finalized.

On Dec. 1, Lion announced the latest of four amendments to the Revloving Credit Agreement and an extension of the Finalta Capital loan agreement, a halt to all production at its manufacturing plant in Joliet, Illinois, and the laying off an additional 400 workers on top of the 120 employees laid off in April. The company has trimmed its workforce from nearly 1,300 employees to about 300.

A separate SEC filing that same day announced the Nicolas Brunet resigned as president.
Four days later, Lion said it reached an agreement to sell its Quebec innovation center for $35 million U.S. The company noted in its third-quarter financial results total liabilities of $500 million and a net loss of nearly $75 million as of Sept. 30.

Related: Brunet Resigns as Lion Electric President Amid Company Battle to Stay Solvent
Related: Updated: Lion Electric Suspends Manufacturing Operations at Joliet Plant
Related: NYSE to Commence Delisting Proceedings with Respect to the Warrants of Lion Electric

The post Update: Lion Electric Defaults on Credit Repayment, Says It is Avoiding Bankruptcy appeared first on School Transportation News.

MONTREAL — The Lion Electric Company (NYSE: LEV) (TSX: LEV) (“Lion” or the “Company”), a leading manufacturer of all-electric medium and heavy-duty urban vehicles, announced today the expiry of the previously announced covenant relief period under its senior revolving credit agreement entered into with a syndicate of lenders represented by National Bank of Canada, as administrative agent and collateral agent, and including Bank of Montreal and Federation des Caisses Desjardins du Québec (the “Revolving Credit Agreement”), as well as the maturity of the Company’s loan agreement entered into with Finalta Capital Fund, L.P., as lender and administrative agent, and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Quebec (through one of its subsidiaries), as lender (the “Finalta CDPQ Loan Agreement”).

The company had previously announced on Dec. 1, 2024 amendments to the Revolving Credit Agreement and the Finalta CDPQ Loan Agreement in order to extend the covenant relief period and the maturity date of the Finalta CDPQ Loan Agreement to Dec. 16, 2024, which provided the company with additional time to continue to actively evaluate potential alternatives relating to a restructuring of its obligations, a sale of the business or certain of its assets, strategic investments and/or any other alternatives. As no such alternatives have materialized and no further amendments, concessions or waivers have been obtained, the expiry of the covenant relief period and re-introduction of the financial covenants previously applicable under the Revolving Credit Agreement as well as the maturity of the Finalta CDPQ Loan Agreement on Dec. 16, 2024 result in the company being in default pursuant to the terms of the Revolving Credit Agreement, the Finalta CDPQ Loan Agreement and other debt instruments providing for cross-default or cross acceleration provisions, and in the company’s lenders having the ability to exercise their rights and request immediate repayment of amounts borrowed by the company.

As a result of the foregoing, the company is currently in discussions with its senior lenders to obtain additional funds pursuant to a new debtor-in-possession credit facility and expects to seek creditor protection under the companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act in order to restructure its business and financial affairs and pursue a formal sales and investment solicitation process in respect of the company’s business or assets.

Trading in the common shares and other listed securities of the Company on the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) and the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) has been halted and it is anticipated that the trading thereof will continue to be halted until a review is undertaken by the TSX and the NYSE regarding the suitability of the Company for listing on the TSX and the NYSE.

About Lion Electric

Lion Electric is an innovative manufacturer of zero-emission vehicles, including all electric school buses. Lion is a North American leader in electric transportation and designs, builds and assembles many of its vehicles’ components, including chassis, battery packs, truck cabins and bus bodies.

Always actively seeking new and reliable technologies, Lion vehicles have unique features that are specifically adapted to its users and their everyday needs. Lion believes that transitioning to all-electric vehicles will lead to major improvements in our society, environment and overall quality of life.

The post Lion Electric Announces Expiry of Covenant Relief Period and Defaults Under Certain Conditions of Senior Debt Instruments appeared first on School Transportation News.

The latest personnel move related to the Lion Electric Company monetary issues is Nicolas Brunet, who the company announced is resigned as president 14 months after he was tapped for the position.

Lion made no formal announcement, with a note indicating Brunet was leaving the company immediately tucked away on the second to last page of an SEC filing dated Dec. 1. That same day, the company announced it was halting production at its Joliet, Illinois, factory and was laying over 400 workers.

Lion has until Dec. 16 to pay back four creditors unless it can secure additional investments or find a company to purchase it.

Brunet joined the company headquartered in Saint-Jerome, Quebec, in 2019 and was executive vice president and CFO before being named president on Sept. 28, 2023.

A company spokesperson declined to comment on Wednesday on Brunet’s departure but added that Marc Bedard remains chief executive officer. Bedard founded Lion Electric as Autobus Lion, or Lion Bus, in 2008 after previously serving as an executive for Type A school bus manufacturer Corbeil, which closed the previous year.

Lion’s first school bus was the Lion 360 in 2011, a diesel Type C model developed in partnership with Spartan Chassis. The company transitioned to only manufacturing electric school buses and rebranded itself as Lion Electric in 2017. Two years later it began manufacturing electric trucks.

Related: Low-income Areas Need Electric School Buses the Most, WRI Analysis Indicates
Related: WATCH: STN EXPO Reno Live Stream – The Scalability of Electric School Buses
Related: Dignitaries Highlight Lion Electric’s Joliet Plant Opening Ceremony

The post Brunet Resigns as Lion Electric President Amid Company Battle to Stay Solvent appeared first on School Transportation News.

HAINESPORT, N.J., – GreenPower Motor Company Inc. (NASDAQ: GP) (TSXV: GPV) (“GreenPower”), a leading manufacturer and distributor of purpose-built, all-electric, zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles serving the cargo and delivery market, shuttle and transit space and school bus sector, today announced the appointment of Wolfington Body Company as its exclusive school bus dealer in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware and as a dealer for its Class 4 commercial line of EV trucks and vans in the same three states. As part of the appointment, Wolfington has purchased a Type A Nano BEAST Access school bus, a Type D BEAST school bus, an EV Star Passenger Van and an EV Star Stakebed Truck as demo units for the region. GreenPower delivered the EV Stars Passenger Van and EV Star Stakebed Truck to Wolfington on December 2, 2024.

During a press conference today at Wolfington’s Hainesport, New Jersey facility, Wolfington also announced it has received an order for seven GreenPower Type A Nano BEAST all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school buses for a local school district in New Jersey.

“Wolfington Body Company is a fifth-generation family-owned business that has been serving the transportation industry since 1876,” said GreenPower President Brendan Riley. “In addition to selling school buses and commercial vehicles, Wolfington is equipped with complete mechanical services and body shops to handle a vehicle’s entire lifecycle. Their parts department supplies thousands of parts with same-day delivery available in most areas. We are thrilled to welcome this superior dealer to the GreenPower network.”

“Wolfington history dates back to the horse and buggy days when the company built its first carriage, a buggy with such durability that it held up under the heavy use of doctors traveling their rounds,” said Richard Wolfington, Jr., Vice President of Wolfington Body Company. “Over the years Wolfington’s business has adopted to changing technology and the move to electric vehicles is a natural progression for our company. We are pleased to partner with a premiere purpose-built electric vehicle OEM like GreenPower to bring these school bus and commercial vehicle options to our customers in the three-state region.”

Joining Wolfington and GreenPower at the announcement were state Assemblywoman Andrea Katz and Hainesport Mayor Leila Gilmore, both of whom praised the new partnership and its benefits. “This type of news is exactly what I’m working toward in Trenton. Hainesport will benefit from this economically and each of us will breathe cleaner air,” Katz said. “School buses are an ideal use of EV technology and to know that the children at Burlington County Special Services School District will be among the first to benefit from this partnership is exceptional.”

“Me and my Green Team could not be happier to see Wolfington expanding right here in our community with EV technology that is healthier for school kids and beneficial to the environment and climate change,” Gilmore added. “This will bring more jobs and economic activity to Hainesport while at the same time helping reach our goals of sustainability.”

About GreenPower Motor Company, Inc.
GreenPower designs, builds and distributes a full suite of high-floor and low-floor all-electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles, including transit buses, school buses, shuttles, cargo vans and a cab and chassis. GreenPower employs a clean-sheet design to manufacture all-electric vehicles that are purpose-built to be battery powered with zero emissions while integrating global suppliers for key components. This OEM platform allows GreenPower to meet the specifications of various operators while providing standard parts for ease of maintenance and accessibility for warranty requirements. GreenPower was founded in Vancouver, Canada with primary operational facilities in southern California. Listed on the Toronto exchange since November 2015, GreenPower completed its U.S. IPO and NASDAQ listing in August 2020. For further information go to www.greenpowermotor.com.

The post GreenPower Announces New Dealer in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware with an Initial Order of 11 EVs appeared first on School Transportation News.

Electric power lines. (Scott Olson | Getty Images)

The Sierra Club of Wisconsin says that the decision to delay the retirement of a Columbia County coal power plant until 2029 to consider converting it to a natural gas plant will harm the environment and expose nearby residents to harmful emissions. 

The Columbia Energy Center was initially set to be closed this year, but two years ago the plant’s retirement was delayed until 2026. In a statement on Wednesday, the co-owners of the plant, Alliant Energy, Madison Gas and Electric and Wisconsin Public Service, said keeping the plant open another three years will allow them to “explore converting at least one of Columbia’s units to natural gas.” The companies added that the decision will allow them to maintain the reliability and affordability of energy. 

Utility companies have said that using natural gas allows them to keep providing power while moving away from more harmful fuels such as coal. 

“Natural gas plays an important role in enabling the ongoing transition toward greater use of renewable resources by providing a flexible, dispatchable resource to serve customers reliably and affordably when necessary,” the companies said in the statement. 

But environmental advocates lamented the decision, which will keep coal burning at the plant south of Portage for three more years than previously expected. On Friday, the Sierra Club criticized the use of natural gas at all. 

The environmental group said that gas plants are vulnerable to failure, especially in places that experience harsh winters. The environmental group accused the companies of making the decision to boost their own profits. 

The group also said that emissions from methane gas-burning plants are more harmful to the environment than coal plants and pose health risks to neighbors. 

“We are enraged that Alliant, MG&E, and WPS have once again kicked the can on the Columbia Energy Center’s retirement date, and further exasperated with their considerations to convert the station to deadly methane gas,” the Sierra Club’s Cassie Steiner said in a statement. “Make no mistake: methane gas is not a ‘transition fuel’; it’s a way for utilities to keep exploiting captive customers for an even greater corporate profit while polluting those same communities they are supposed to serve.” 

“Clean energy sources can reliably meet customers’ needs at a far cheaper cost and at no risk to their health,” Steiner continued. “Utilities like Alliant have continued to backpedal on their clean energy commitments and then hold their customers hostage to pay for their poor decisions. We simply cannot afford to extend our dependency on costly, polluting fossil fuels like coal and methane gas.”

MONTREAL — The Lion Electric Company (NYSE: LEV) (TSX: LEV) (“Lion” or the “Company”), a leading manufacturer of all-electric medium and heavy-duty urban vehicles, announced today that it has reached a definitive agreement with Aéroport de Montreal to sell its innovation center facility located in Mirabel, Québec, for a purchase price of C$50,000,000, subject to customary purchase price adjustments and closing conditions.

All of the net proceeds from the transaction are intended to be used towards the partial repayment of the Company’s senior secured non-convertible debentures issued in July 2023, holders of which currently benefit from a first ranking hypothec over the immovable/real rights related to the innovation center facility. As a result, while the transaction is expected to reduce the Company’s long-term indebtedness, it will not impact the Company’s short term liquidity and cash position.

Closing of the transaction is expected to occur before the end of 2024, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

About Lion Electric

Lion Electric is an innovative manufacturer of zero-emission vehicles, including all electric school buses. Lion is a North American leader in electric transportation and designs, builds and assembles many of its vehicles’ components, including chassis, battery packs, truck cabins and bus bodies.

Always actively seeking new and reliable technologies, Lion vehicles have unique features that are specifically adapted to its users and their everyday needs. Lion believes that transitioning to all-electric vehicles will lead to major improvements in our society, environment and overall quality of life.

The post Lion Electric Reaches Definitive Agreement in Respect of the Sale of Innovation Center Located in Mirabel, Quebec appeared first on School Transportation News.

As Lion Electric attempts to stay afloat amid hemorrhaging cash and rising debt, the company announced a Quebec innovation center is being sold amid the latest workforce reduction that halted production at an Illinois electric vehicle factory that opened not quite a year and a half ago.

On Sunday, Lion announced the latest amendments to its senior revolving credit agreement, the fourth such move this year, extending the maturity agreement with  lenders from Nov. 30 to Dec. 16. Lion said this will allow the company to maintain minimum liquidity needs for continued operation.

“Such additional liquidity will also provide the company with additional time to continue to actively evaluate potential alternatives relating to a restructuring of its obligations, a sale of the business or certain of its assets, strategic investments and/or any other alternatives, including seeking creditor protection … There can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in pursuing and implementing any such alternatives, nor any assurance as to the outcome or timing of any such alternatives,” according to a press release.

Lion also announced it was temporarily laying off 400 additional employees in both the U.S. and Canada. The company laid off 520 workers earlier this year. The latest workforce reduction suspends all production at the Joliet, Illinois, facility, which opened in July 2023 to much fanfare.

The company added that it has approximately 300 employees remaining that will focus on bus manufacturing, sales, service, delivery and maintenance.

On Thursday, Lion said it reached a definitive agreement to sell its innovation center in Mirabel, Quebec to Aéroport de Montreal for $50 million Canadian, about $35.65 million.

“As a result, while the transaction is expected to reduce [Lion’s] long-term indebtedness, it will not impact the company’s short-term liquidity and cash position,” the statement read.

On Nov. 30, the New York Stock Exchange began delisting Lion warrants citing “abnormally low selling price” levels. Since September, company revenue is down nearly 62 percent, with net income down 71 percent.

Lion was the first all-electric school bus manufacturer to reach market in 2017. It has over 2,200 total electric vehicles including trucks on the road.

Related: Low-income Areas Need Electric School Buses the Most, WRI Analysis Indicates
Related: Updated: Rising Insurance? Additional Balancing Act Needed Amid Electric School Bus Push
Related: Brooklyn to Receive a Charge From Electric School Bus Batteries With New Vehicle-To-Everything Smart Energy Hub Built By First Student And Con Edison
Related: School Bus Drivers Discuss Real-Life Experiences Driving Electric Buses

The post Updated: Lion Electric Suspends Manufacturing Operations at Joliet Plant appeared first on School Transportation News.

A new U.S. president will be announced to the world this month. Why does the outcome of the 2024 presidential race play a role in advancing school transportation? I believe the outcome will have a significant impact on the future of electric school buses, particularly through policy direction, federal funding, and regulatory support for clean energy initiatives.

The public perception and imagery of the dirty, black smoke-spewing school bus are things of the past. Today’s buses are cleaner, greener and safer than ever. Does the
school bus industry have a chance to shift the public’s perception of school buses as being antiquated? Absolutely.

Headlines abound, especially in the wake of the growing zero-emission school bus movement. Remember when Kamala Harris couldn’t resist sharing her love for school buses? “Who doesn’t love a yellow school bus?” she asked, emphasizing the nostalgic bond so many Americans have with these iconic vehicles.

This increased attention isn’t a coincidence. It aligns with an unprecedented wave of federal funding. The latest application round of EPA Clean School Bus Program funds offers $986 million dollars in rebates. I hope you’re taking full advantage of these funds to modernize your fleet, as it might be the last time we see this sort of unprecedented federal funding.

If the winning administration prioritizes green energy and climate action, could we expect continued or even increased federal support for electric school buses? Congress would have a say, but the Biden-Harris administration has already demonstrated strong support for transitioning to zero-emission vehicles. A new administration with similar priorities could push to expand these programs, increase funding, and implement more aggressive timelines for phasing out diesel buses. Conversely, an administration less focused on climate change might reduce or eliminate such funding, slowing the progress toward electrification in school transportation.

Still, some transportation directors have told me electric school buses don’t make sense for their school districts because of battery range limitations, or they simply found them too complex to navigate with local utilities and infrastructure partners.

At STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada, this past summer, I heard a lot of renewed interest in diesel school buses, which are cleaner and more efficient than ever before. Yet while newer models and engine technologies have made great strides due to EPA and California Air Resources Board emission standards, the reality is that environmental concerns and negative public perceptions persist, especially in districts where budget constraints prevent timely fleet upgrades. Many school districts are still relying on aging, less fuel-efficient buses, with older engine or emission technology that contributes to a larger carbon footprint.

Federal regulations on emissions standards play a key role in driving the transition to electric vehicles. A president who prioritizes environmental regulations would likely continue or strengthen mandates that push school districts to adopt electric buses over traditional diesel ones. Tighter emission rules could force the retirement
of older, higher polluting buses, creating an increased demand for electric alternatives. Conversely, a president who favors deregulation might relax emission standards, making it easier for school districts to continue operating older diesel fleets without financial or regulatory pressure to upgrade.

Perceptions are shaped by media coverage, politics, public opinion, and how well we communicate the advancements in school bus technology and environmental impact. With the right messaging, we can shift the narrative toward one that highlights the progress we’re making.

In many cases, the gap between perception and reality boils down to communication. Stakeholders—parents, school officials, and government representatives—need to understand the complexities of operating school buses, including the challenges posed by budget limitations and aging vehicles. We also need to emphasize the advancements being made, particularly with green energy.

The yellow school bus is more than a means of transportation. It’s a symbol of family, education and community. The time is now to redefine the public’s perception and showcase the modern realities of school transportation.

The presidential race will either accelerate or slow the adoption of electric school buses, depending on the winning candidate’s stance on environmental policy, regulatory frameworks, infrastructure development, and economic incentives. A government committed to sustainability and clean energy would likely propel the school bus industry toward an electric future.

Whatever the outcome of this election, it’s up industry stakeholders like you to spread the word about the benefits of all school buses—a future that’s safer, greener and cleaner than ever before.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted in the November 2024 issue of School Transportation News.

Related: (STN Podcast E216) Right Tools & Right People: Driver Shortage, Electric Buses & More in NY
Related: Why the EPA Shouldn’t Favor Electric School Buses
Related: 5 Ways Large Districts Can Improve Transportation Operations with Technology
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Hydroelectric energy is the “backbone of clean power,” but an urgent need to improve efficiencies is driving engineers to explore a whirlwind of options Among alternative energy solutions, wind, solar, and hydrogen capture the majority of attention. Yet the combined output from these sources pales in comparison to that of hydroelectric power. Producing more than …

The post Redefining Renewable Energy: A Critical Push to Optimize Hydroelectric Power Efficiency appeared first on Alternative Energy HQ.

MONTREAL, Canada- The Lion Electric Company (NYSE: LEV) (TSX: LEV) (“Lion” or the “Company”), a leading manufacturer of all-electric medium and heavy-duty urban vehicles, announced today that the staff of NYSE Regulation of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) has determined to commence proceedings to delist the Company’s warrants with an expiration date of May 6, 2026 ticker symbol LEV.WS to purchase common shares of the Company from the NYSE. Trading in the warrants was suspended immediately. Trading in the Company’s common shares ticker symbol LEV and another series of warrants with an expiration date of December 15, 2027 ticker symbol LEV.WS.A will continue on the NYSE.

NYSE Regulation has determined that the warrants are no longer suitable for listing based on “abnormally low selling price” levels, pursuant to Section 802.01D of the NYSE Listed Company Manual.

The Company is considering whether it will require a review of this determination by a Committee of the Board of Directors of the NYSE. The NYSE will apply to the Securities and Exchange Commission to delist the warrants upon completion of all applicable procedures, including any appeal by the Company of the NYSE Regulation staff’s decision.

About Lion Electric:
Lion Electric is an innovative manufacturer of zero-emission vehicles. The Company creates, designs and manufactures all-electric class 5 to class 8 commercial urban trucks and all-electric school buses. Lion is a North American leader in electric transportation and designs, builds and assembles many of its vehicles’ components, including chassis, battery packs, truck cabins and bus bodies.

Always actively seeking new and reliable technologies, Lion vehicles have unique features that are specifically adapted to its users and their everyday needs. Lion believes that transitioning to all-electric vehicles will lead to major improvements in our society, environment and overall quality of life. Lion shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol LEV.

The post NYSE to Commence Delisting Proceedings with Respect to the Warrants of Lion Electric appeared first on School Transportation News.

VANCOUVER, Canada, – GreenPower Motor Company Inc. (Nasdaq: GP) (TSXV: GPV) (“GreenPower” and the “Company”), a leading manufacturer and distributor of all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles serving the cargo and delivery market, shuttle and transit space and school bus sector, today reported its second quarter fiscal year 2025 results and provided an update on its manufacturing operations.

“GreenPower spent the quarter advancing the school bus production process at its West Virginia facility by setting up an oversized paint booth and establishing production stations to increase throughput in order to meet customer orders and demands,” said GreenPower President Brendan Riley. “The increase in production coupled with manufacturing process improvements is expected to result in higher gross profit margins and cost reductions on a per unit basis as throughput improves.”

Riley said that the Company has been systematically increasing its production workforce to provide for its growing production. “Putting the workforce in place and validating the manufacturing process is key to our efficiency, and production growth which is expected to drive cost savings on a per unit basis. With these in place, GreenPower will be able to attain its longer-term manufacturing goal of producing 20 school buses per month,” he said, noting that steady, measured growth, a foundation of GreenPower’s model, is critical for maintaining quality throughout the production process.

“The growth in production complements GreenPower’s sales strategy of focusing on states where there are money and mandates for electric school buses,” added Fraser Atkinson, CEO of GreenPower. “While we continue to manufacture and sell EV school buses for current orders and contracts under both state and federal programs, the future is more focused on states that have put policies and plans in place to provide a cleaner, healthier ride for students through the deployment of electric school buses. States like California and New York, and regions like the Southwest.”

During the second quarter of GreenPower’s fiscal year 2025, the manufacturing process was exhibited when the Company produced the first Type D BEAST all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school bus for the 37 BEAST order from the state of West Virginia from its South Charleston plant, which was delivered at the beginning of our current quarter. That was the second BEAST produced in the facility following the production of the Kanawha County bus purchased directly by the school district outside of the state order. Additional deliveries to fulfill the state order are planned to take place in the third and fourth quarters.

Second Quarter 2025 Highlights:
Generated revenues of $5.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024, an increase of 78% over the previous quarter.
Delivered 11 BEAST Type D all-electric school buses, six EV Star Cargo and EV Star Cargo Plus and five EV Star Passenger Vans.
Deferred revenue increased to $10.4 million, including the current portion of $7.5 million, which is expected to be realized over the next year.
At the end of the quarter GreenPower had working capital of $10.1 million including inventory of $31.7 million consisting of $9.3 million of finished goods, $18.6 million of work-in-process and $3.8 million of parts and components.
Received order for school buses under EPA’s Clean School Bus Program from the RWC Group for Arizona.
In October the Company completed an underwritten offering of 3,000,000 common shares raising gross proceeds of $3 million. The net proceeds from this offering are intended for the production of all-electric vehicles, including BEAST school buses and EV Star commercial vehicles, product development, with the remainder, if any, for general corporate purposes.

For additional information on the results of operations for the periods ended September 30, 2024 review the interim financial statements and related reports posted on GreenPower’s website as well as on www.sedar.com or filed on EDGAR.

About GreenPower Motor Company Inc.
GreenPower designs, builds and distributes a full suite of high-floor and low-floor all-electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles, including transit buses, school buses, shuttles, cargo van and a cab and chassis. GreenPower employs a clean-sheet design to manufacture all-electric vehicles that are purpose built to be battery powered with zero emissions while integrating global suppliers for key components. This OEM platform allows GreenPower to meet the specifications of various operators while providing standard parts for ease of maintenance and accessibility for warranty requirements. GreenPower was founded in Vancouver, Canada with primary operational facilities in southern California. Listed on the Toronto exchange since November 2015, GreenPower completed its U.S. IPO and NASDAQ listing in August 2020. For further information go to www.greenpowermotor.com

The post GreenPower Provides Business Update and Reports Second Quarter Fiscal 2025 Results appeared first on School Transportation News.

MONTREAL, Canada- The Lion Electric Company (NYSE: LEV) (TSX: LEV) (“Lion” or the “Company”), a leading manufacturer of all-electric medium and heavy-duty urban vehicles, today announced its financial and operating results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2024, which ended on September 30, 2024. Lion reports its results in US dollars and in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”).

Q3 2024 Financial Highlights:
Revenue of $30.6 million, down $49.7 million, as compared to $80.3 million in Q3 2023.
Delivery of 89 vehicles, a decrease of 156 vehicles, as compared to the 245 delivered in Q3 2023.
Gross loss of $16.0 million, as compared to gross profit of $5.4 million in Q3 2023.
Net loss of $33.9 million, as compared to net loss of $19.9 million in Q3 2023.
Adjusted EBITDA1 of negative $19.5 million, as compared to negative $3.9 million in Q3 2023.
Additions to property, plant and equipment of $0.4 million, down $15.8 million, as compared to $16.2 million in Q3 2023.
Additions to intangible assets, which mainly consist of vehicle and battery development activities, amounted to $6.0 million, down $9.0 million as compared to $15.0 million in Q3 2023.

Business Updates:
More than 2,200 vehicles on the road, with over 32 million miles driven (over 52 million kilometers).
Vehicle order book2 of 1,590 all-electric medium- and heavy-duty urban vehicles as of November 6, 2024, consisting of 135 trucks and 1,455 buses, representing a combined total order value of approximately $420 million based on management’s estimates.
LionEnergy order book of 366 charging stations and related services as of November 6, 2024, representing a combined total order value of approximately $8 million.
12 experience centers in operation in the United States and Canada.

“In Q3, we further adjusted our cost structure and optimized our operations to continue to execute on our business strategy to support and promote the increasing electric school bus demand and maintain our leadership position, despite the persistent challenges that we and our industry continue to face and which put significant pressure on our liquidity” stated Marc Bedard, CEO-Founder of Lion. “We also experienced very good momentum in the latest rounds of the EPA Clean School Bus program and will keep our focus on delivering to push forward the electrification of school buses all over America” he added.

Select Explanations on Results of Operations for the Third Quarter of Fiscal Year 2024:

Revenue
For the three months ended September 30, 2024, revenue amounted to $30.6 million, a decrease of $49.7 million, compared to the corresponding period in the prior year. The decrease in revenue was due to a decrease in vehicle sales volume of 156 units, from 245 units (220 school buses and 25 trucks; 132 vehicles in Canada and 113 vehicles in the U.S.) for the three months ended September 30, 2023, to 89 units (71 school buses and 18 trucks; 45 vehicles in Canada and 44 vehicles in the U.S.) for the three months ended September 30, 2024. The decrease in vehicle sales volume was primarily attributable to the impact of the timing of EPA rounds and the continued delays and challenges associated with the granting of subsidies to the Company’s clients related to the ZETF program, as well as the impact on the Company’s production cadence due to the continued integration of its Lion MD batteries onto its vehicles and the continued ramp-up of production of the Lion5 and LionD platforms. The Company’s objective to preserve liquidity also had a negative impact on the rate of production and deliveries during the third quarter.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, revenue amounted to $116.4 million, a decrease of $76.7 million, compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The decrease in revenue was due to a decrease in vehicle sales volume of 278 units, from 664 units (593 school buses and 71 trucks; 518 vehicles in Canada and 146 vehicles in the U.S.) for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, to 386 units (350 school buses and 36 trucks; 294 vehicles in Canada and 92 vehicles in the U.S.) for the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The decrease in vehicle sales volume was primarily attributable to the impact of the timing of EPA rounds and the continued delays and challenges associated with the granting of subsidies to the Company’s clients related to the ZETF program, as well as the impact on the Company’s production cadence due to the continued integration of its Lion MD batteries onto its vehicles and the continued ramp-up of production of the Lion5 and LionD platforms. The Company’s objective to preserve liquidity also had a negative impact on the rate of production and deliveries during the third quarter.

Cost of Sales
For the three months ended September 30, 2024, cost of sales amounted to $46.6 million, representing a decrease of $28.4 million, compared to the corresponding period in the prior year. The decrease was primarily due to lower sales volumes, partially offset by increased manufacturing costs related to the continuing ramp-up of the new products (LionD, Lion5, and the Lion battery packs) and lower production volumes (which resulted in higher fixed manufacturing costs per unit produced).

For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, cost of sales amounted to $158.7 million, representing a decrease of $30.8 million, compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The decrease was primarily due to lower sales volumes, partially offset by increased manufacturing costs related to the continuing ramp-up of the new products (LionD, Lion5, and the Lion battery packs) and lower production volumes (which resulted in higher fixed manufacturing costs per unit produced).

Gross Profit (Loss)
For the three months ended September 30, 2024, gross loss increased by $21.3 million to negative $16.0 million, compared to positive $5.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The gross loss was primarily due to the impact of lower sales volumes, increased manufacturing costs related to the continuing ramp-up of the new products (LionD, Lion5, and the Lion battery packs) and lower production volume (which resulted in higher fixed manufacturing costs per unit produced).

For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, gross loss increased by $45.8 million to negative $42.3 million, compared to negative $3.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase in the gross loss was primarily due to the impact of lower sales volumes, increased manufacturing costs related to the continuing ramp-up of the new products (LionD, Lion5, and the Lion battery packs) and lower production volume (which resulted in higher fixed manufacturing costs per unit produced).

Administrative Expenses
For the three months ended September 30, 2024, administrative expenses decreased by $3.3 million, from $13.0 million for the corresponding period in the prior year, to $9.7 million. Administrative expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2024 included $0.3 million of non-cash share-based compensation, compared to $1.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023. Excluding the impact of non-cash share-based compensation, administrative expenses decreased from $12.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023, to $9.4 million for three months ended September 30, 2024. The decrease was mainly due to a decrease in expenses and a lower headcount, both resulting from the workforce reduction and cost reduction initiatives implemented since November 2023, including as part of the July 2024 Action Plan.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, administrative expenses decreased by $6.7 million, from $38.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, to $31.8 million. Administrative expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 included $1.1 million of non-cash share-based compensation, compared to $3.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. Excluding the impact of non-cash share-based compensation, administrative expenses decreased from $34.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, to $30.7 million for nine months ended September 30, 2024. The decrease was mainly due to a decrease in expenses and a lower headcount, both resulting from the workforce reduction and cost reduction initiatives implemented since November 2023, including as part of the July 2024 Action Plan.

Selling Expenses
For the three months ended September 30, 2024, selling expenses decreased by $1.4 million, from $5.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023, to $3.8 million. Selling expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2024 included $0.1 million of non-cash share-based compensation, compared to $0.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023. Excluding the impact of non-cash share-based compensation, selling expenses decreased from $4.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023, to $3.7 million for three months ended September 30, 2024. The decrease was primarily due to lower sales commission expenses in line with lower sales volumes and to streamlined selling related expenses, including lower headcount and marketing costs resulting from the workforce reduction and cost reduction initiatives implemented since November 2023, including as part of the July 2024 Action Plan.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, selling expenses decreased by $4.7 million, from $16.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, to $11.8 million. Selling expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 included $0.2 million of non-cash share-based compensation, compared to $1.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. Excluding the impact of non-cash share-based compensation, selling expenses decreased from $15.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, to $11.6 million for nine months ended September 30, 2024. The decrease was primarily due to lower sales commission expenses in line with lower sales volumes and to streamlined selling related expenses, including lower headcount and marketing costs resulting from the workforce reduction and cost reduction initiatives implemented since November 2023, including as part of the July 2024 Action Plan.

Restructuring Costs
Restructuring costs of $0.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and $2.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 are comprised mainly of severance costs related to the workforce reductions and July 2024 Action Plan as described in section 8.0 of the Company’s MD&A for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 entitled “Operational Highlights”.

Finance Costs
For the three months ended September 30, 2024, finance costs increased by $5.3 million, from $7.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023, to $13.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024. Finance costs for the three months ended September 30, 2024 were net of $0.3 million of capitalized borrowing costs, compared to $1.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023. Excluding the impact of capitalized borrowing costs, finance costs increased by $4.0 million compared to the three months ended September 30, 2023. The increase was driven primarily by higher interest expense on long-term debt, due to higher average debt outstanding during the third quarter of fiscal 2024 relating to borrowings made under the Company’s senior the Company’s senior revolving credit agreement (the “Revolving Credit Agreement”), its loan agreement entered into with Investissement Québec (the “IQ Loan”), its loan agreement entered into with the Strategic Innovation Fund of the Government of Canada the (“SIF Loan”), its loan agreement entered into with Finalta Capital and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Quebec (the “Finalta-CDPQ Loan Agreement”), its other loan agreement with Investissement Québec under the ESSOR program (the “ESSOR Loan”) and its financing with respect to a credit facility to finance the Company’s accounts payable related to goods or services purchased in the normal course of its operations (the “Supplier Credit Facility”), non-cash interest (including interest paid in kind with respect to the convertible debentures issued by the Company in July 2023 (the “Convertible Debentures”)) and accretion expense, and an increase in interest costs related to lease liabilities, partially offset by lower financing costs related to the Convertible Debentures and non-convertible debentures issued by the Company in July 2023 (the “Non-Convertible Debentures”). Finance charges for the three months ended September 30, 2024 included non-cash charges of $5.6 million related to interest paid in kind with respect to the Convertible Debentures and accretion expense.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, finance costs increased by $24.8 million, from $11.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, to $35.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024. Finance costs for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 were net of $1.1 million of capitalized borrowing costs, compared to $4.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. Excluding the impact of capitalized borrowing costs, finance costs increased by $21.1 million compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase was driven primarily by higher interest expense on long-term debt, due to higher average debt outstanding during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 relating to borrowings made under the Revolving Credit Agreement, the IQ Loan, the SIF Loan, the Finalta-CDPQ Loan Agreement, the ESSOR Loan and the Supplier Credit Facility, non-cash interest (including interest paid in kind with respect to the Convertible Debentures) and accretion expense, and an increase in interest costs related to lease liabilities, partially offset by lower financing costs related to the Convertible Debentures and Non-Convertible Debentures issued in July 2023. Finance charges for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 included non-cash charges of $16.6 million related to interest paid in kind with respect to the Convertible Debentures and accretion expense.

Foreign Exchange Loss (Gain)
Foreign exchange loss (gain) relates primarily to the revaluation of net monetary assets denominated in foreign currencies to the functional currencies of the related Lion entities. For the three months ended September 30, 2024, the foreign exchange gain was $1.6 million, compared to a foreign exchange loss of $2.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the foreign exchange loss was $1.9 million, compared to a foreign exchange gain of $0.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.The change in foreign exchange loss (gain) related primarily to the impact of changes in foreign currency rates (impact of changes in the Canadian dollar relative to the U.S. dollar).

Change in Fair Value of Conversion Options on Convertible Debt Instruments
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, change in fair value of conversion options on convertible debt instruments resulted in a gain of $4.5 million and $27.8 million, respectively, compared to a gain of $3.4 million for both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, related to the revaluation of the conversion options on the Convertible Debentures issued in July 2023 resulting mainly from the decrease in the market price of Lion equity as compared to the previous valuations.

Change in Fair Value of Share Warrant Obligations
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, the change in fair value of share warrant obligations resulted in gains of $3.1 million and $23.2 million, respectively, compared to gains of $0.2 million and $11.9 million, respectively for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, related to the Specific Customer Warrants, the public and private Business Combination Warrants, the 2022 Warrants, and the July 2023 Warrants, and resulting mainly from the decrease in the market price of Lion equity as compared to the previous valuations.

Net Loss
The net loss of $33.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024 as compared to the net loss of $19.9 million for the same period prior year was mainly due to the higher gross loss and higher finance costs, partially offset by the impact of the reduction in administrative and selling expenses as well as higher gains related to non-cash decrease in the fair value of share warrant obligations and the conversion options on convertible debt instruments.

The net loss of $74.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 as compared to the net loss of $47.2 million for the same period prior year was mainly due to the higher gross loss and higher finance costs, partially offset by the impact of the reduction in administrative and selling expenses as well as higher gains related to non-cash decrease in the fair value of share warrant obligations and the conversion options on convertible debt instruments.

Basis of Presentation
Refer to note 2 of the Company’s unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 which also indicates the existence of material uncertainty that may cast significant doubt on the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Based on the current assessment of management, it is not certain that cash and forecasted cash flows from operations will be sufficient to meet the Company’s obligations coming due over the next twelve months, and, as a result, the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern is dependent on, among other things, its ability to raise additional funds in order to meet its capital requirements and satisfy its obligations as they become due (such as upcoming interest payment obligations under, and repayment at maturity of, certain of its debt instruments), including in connection with the expiration of the covenant relief period (as defined below) on November 15, 2024 and/or the maturity of the Finalta-CDPQ Loan Agreement on November 30, 2024. The Company expects that it will need to negotiate further amendments or concessions or waivers to agreements with the holders of its debt instruments in connection with the expiry of the covenant relief period and upcoming maturity of the Finalta-CDPQ Loan Agreement. See section 2.0 of the Company’s MD&A entitled “Basis of Presentation” for additional information.

Conference Call
A conference call and webcast will be held on November 6, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) to discuss the results. To participate in the conference call, please dial (404) 975-4839 or (833)-470-1428 (toll free) using the Access Code 946933. An investor presentation and a live webcast of the conference call will also be available at www.thelionelectric.com under the “Events and Presentations” page of the “Investors” section. An archive of the event will be available for a period of time shortly after the conference call.

Financial Report
This release should be read together with the 2024 third quarter financial report, including the unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements of the Company and the related notes as at September 30, 2024 and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, and the related management discussion and analysis (“MD&A”), which will be filed by the Company with applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and which will be available on SEDAR+ as well as on our website at www.thelionelectric.com. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the MD&A.

Non-IFRS Measure and Other Performance Metrics
This press release makes reference to Adjusted EBITDA, which is a non-IFRS financial measure, as well as other performance metrics, including the Company’s order book, which are defined below. These measures are neither required nor recognized measures under IFRS, and, as a result, do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Rather, these measures are provided as additional information to complement those IFRS measures by providing further understanding of the Company’s results of operations from management’s perspective. Accordingly, they should not be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for analysis of the Company’s financial information reported under IFRS. Lion compensates for these limitations by relying primarily on Lion’s IFRS results and using Adjusted EBITDA and order book on a supplemental basis. Readers should not rely on any single financial measure to evaluate Lion’s business.

Adjusted EBITDA
“Adjusted EBITDA” is defined as net earnings (loss) before finance costs, income tax expense or benefit, and depreciation and amortization, adjusted to exclude restructuring costs, share-based compensation, change in fair value of conversion options on convertible debt instruments, change in fair value of share warrant obligations, foreign exchange (gain) loss and transaction and other non-recurring expenses. Lion uses adjusted EBITDA to facilitate a comparison of the profitability of its business on a consistent basis from period-to-period and to provide a further understanding of factors and trends affecting its business. The Company also believes this measure is useful for investors to assess the Company’s profitability, its cost structure and its ability to service debt and to meet other payment obligations. However, readers should be aware that when evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, Lion may incur future expenses similar to those excluded when calculating Adjusted EBITDA. In addition, Lion’s presentation of these measures should not be construed as an inference that Lion’s future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. Readers should review the reconciliation of net earnings (loss), the most directly comparable IFRS financial measure, to Adjusted EBITDA presented by the Company under section 12.0 of the Company’s MD&A for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 entitled “Results of Operations – Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA.”

Order Book
This press release also makes reference to the Company’s “order book” with respect to vehicles (trucks and buses) as well as charging stations. The Company’s vehicles and charging stations order book is determined by management based on purchase orders that have been signed, orders that have been formally confirmed by clients, or products in respect of which formal joint applications for governmental programs, subsidies or incentives have been made by the applicable clients and the Company. The order book is expressed as a number of units or a total dollar value, which dollar value is determined based on the pricing of each unit included in the order book as further explained under “Pricing” in section 9.0 of the MD&A entitled “Order Book”. The vehicles included in the vehicle order book as of November 6, 2024 provided for a delivery period ranging from a few months to the end of the year ending December 31, 2028, with substantially all of such vehicles currently providing for deliveries before the end of the year ending December 31, 2025, which corresponds to the latest date by which claims are required to be made according to the current eligibility criteria of the Federal Infrastructure Canada’s Zero Emission Transit Fund “ZETF” program, unless otherwise agreed by Infrastructure Canada. In addition, substantially all deliveries are subject to the granting of subsidies and incentives with processing times that are subject to important variations. There has been in the past and the Company expects there will continue to be variances between the expected delivery periods of orders and the actual delivery times, and certain delays could be significant. Also, there has been in the past and the Company expects there will continue to be variances in the eligibility criteria of the various programs, subsidies and incentives introduced by governmental authorities, including in their interpretation and application. Such variances or delays could result in the loss of a subsidy or incentive and/or in the cancellation of certain orders, in whole or in part. In addition, the Company’s current financial position as well as the material uncertainty as to its ability to continue as a going concern is likely to increase some or all of the risks relating to the Company’s order book. See “Increased Risks relating to Order Book” under section 9.0 of the MD&A entitled “Order Book.”

The Company’s presentation of the order book should not be construed as a representation by the Company that the vehicles and charging stations included in its order book will translate into actual sales. See the section below for a full description of the methodology used by the Company in connection with the order book and certain important risks and uncertainties relating to such methodology and the presentation of the order book.

About Lion Electric:
Lion Electric is an innovative manufacturer of zero-emission vehicles. The company creates, designs and manufactures all-electric class 5 to class 8 commercial urban trucks and all-electric school buses. Lion is a North American leader in electric transportation and designs, builds and assembles many of its vehicles’ components, including chassis, battery packs, truck cabins and bus bodies.

Always actively seeking new and reliable technologies, Lion vehicles have unique features that are specifically adapted to its users and their everyday needs. Lion believes that transitioning to all-electric vehicles will lead to major improvements in our society, environment and overall quality of life. Lion shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol LEV.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — By the terms in the Letters of Intent (LOI) signed this week, the Coalition for Green Capital (CGC) intends to use $175 million dollars of its EPA granted capital to drive more than a billion dollars of public-private investment in emissions-reducing transportation and building renovation measures.

CGC and Coventry Structured Investments (CSI) intend to drive a total of a billion dollars in clean energy deployment. CGC will make available a $100 million dollar line of credit to Coventry Structured Investments. Coventry’s current pipeline contains projects in the following states: California, Maryland, Rhode Island, and Texas to install energy efficiency and clean energy upgrades to commercial properties, which may include HVAC, lighting, solar, and water conservation measures.

CGC’s planned line of credit will be used by Coventry to finance portfolios of Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) loans which will then be refinanced in the capital markets. The line of credit can then be recycled multiple times over the life of the transaction, resulting in $1 billion of C-PACE financing that gives property owners access to low-cost, long-term, non-recourse financing for energy efficiency upgrades. This investment will result in improved air quality and environmental benefits for local communities.

Coventry, headquartered in Los Angeles, California, is a leading asset management and consulting firm specializing in niche debt and equity funding solutions, raising over $1.7 billion in capital through securitization platforms and mezzanine financing. It is also expanding its total assets under management to approximately $115 million through strategic acquisitions in the privately-rated renewable asset class. With the CGC partnership, Coventry will have up to $300 million in committed capital to deploy towards renewable opportunities. This increased liquidity of C-PACE funds will grow the availability of energy efficiency upgrades for buildings, with a significant number of these projects being deployed in low-income disadvantaged communities.

CGC and Highland Electric Fleets intend to invest approximately $250 million in total public-private investment to enable the lease or purchase of 1,300 electric vehicles. The money will be a combination of $75 million in loan from CGC, Highland equity capital, and EPA Clean School Bus Program grants and rebates to help Highland accelerate the deployment of approximately 1,300 electric vehicles, as well as charging infrastructure across multiple states including Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas. This support will also help bridge funds from federal tax credits and state and federal grant programs.

Headquartered in Beverly, MA, and active in 30 states and Canada, Highland Electric Fleets is the leading provider of electrification-as-a-service for school districts, governments, and fleet operators in North America. Highland is responsible for the first use of electric school buses in a commercial vehicle-to-grid (V2G) program. This investment is expected to lead to a significant reduction of 230,000 tons of CO2 emissions over the total 10-year life of the loan, with 60% of benefits reaching low-income and disadvantaged communities. By implementing V2G capabilities in certain locations, some of the electric vehicles will be able to discharge energy back to the grid for reliability when utilities need it and may also provide emergency support to buildings and community centers.

CGC received $5 billion in seed funding from the EPA’s National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF) to invest in public-private partnerships and create a network of self-sustaining green banks to accelerate the construction of a clean power platform. Today’s announcement of $1.2 billion in public-private investing demonstrates the power of collaboration, and the progress that CGC is making toward reaching its target of causing $21.1 billion in cumulative private-public investment in clean power projects within the first year of receiving funds.

CGC’s Chief Executive Officer Reed Hundt said, “These LOI’s are intended to lead to investments that will accelerate the transition from carbon to clean cheaply, quickly and inclusively, by, for and with communities. From improving air quality for students to providing capital for energy efficient upgrades to commercial properties, these projects are just the first of many to make clean, cheap power available to everyone, everywhere.”

CGC’s Chief Investment Officer Alfred Griffin said, “We’re committed to making investments that not only drive immediate change but also set the stage for long-term, scalable impact. Our goal is to create a ripple effect, where our investments lead to exponential growth in clean energy projects across the country. By unlocking more than $1.2 billion in clean energy investments, we’re not only helping communities reduce emissions and cut energy costs but also paving the way for significant job creation and sustainable economic development.”

CGC’s Senior Director of Impact and Equitable Investments William Barber III said, “These investments represent a transformative shift toward a cleaner, more equitable future for all communities. By empowering underserved populations with reliable and affordable energy, we are not only tackling the roots of climate change but also strengthening public health and creating new economic opportunities.”

CSI’s Founder and Managing Principal Rasool E. Alizadeh said, “CSI is ecstatic to partner with CGC in order to meet its public-private investment initiatives while continuing to grow and support the need for CPACE in the commercial real estate (CRE) market that has to date upgraded its properties with sustainable improvements in addition to adding intrinsic value. As the CRE marketplace continues to work through refinancings, this facility will create significant liquidity to allow projects to progress while focusing the benefits of the projects on core values to both companies.”

Highland Electric Fleets’ Chief Financial Officer Gaurav Dubey said, “With CGC’s $75 million commitment as part of a larger $250 million investment, Highland Electric Fleets is making the transition to electric fleets more accessible for municipalities nationwide. This effort is about more than reducing emissions and improving air quality; it’s about delivering meaningful benefits to the communities that need them most, including low-income and disadvantaged areas. By partnering with local community organizations, we’re not only creating cleaner, healthier transportation but also driving local job creation, supporting grid resiliency, improving public health, and building a brighter, more inclusive future for all.”

About Coalition For Green Capital:
The Coalition for Green Capital (CGC), doing business as the American Green Bank Consortium, is a 501(c)(3) chartered specifically to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other forms of air pollution and redress climate and energy-related environmental injustice. Green banks are a proven finance model that uses public and philanthropic funds to mobilize private investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and other decarbonization technologies. For over a decade, the Coalition for Green Capital has led the Green Bank movement, working at the federal, state, and local levels in the U.S. and countries around the world. For more information, visit: https://coalitionforgreencapital.com.

About Coventry Structured Investments (CSI):
Coventry Structured Investments creates value for businesses and investors by crafting alternative funding solutions in esoteric situations that catalyze meaningful growth at marginal risk. We provide consulting services and alternative funding to businesses with unique or complex capital needs. To develop solutions that create growth, we immerse ourselves in our partners’ businesses. For more information, visit www.coventrysi.com or contact us at info@coventrysi.com

About Highland Electric Fleets:
Highland Electric Fleets is the leading provider of electrification-as-a-service for school districts, governments, and fleet operators in North America. Founded in 2019, Highland offers a unique suite of products that make it simple and affordable to upgrade to electric fleets today. Active in 30 states and Canada, Highland is responsible for the first use of electric school buses in a commercial vehicle-to-grid (V2G) program and the largest electric school bus project in the United States to date. To learn more, visit www.highlandfleets.com

The post Coalition for Green Capital Announces $1.2 Billion in Prospective Public-Private Investment to Accelerate the Cheap, Clean Power Platform appeared first on School Transportation News.

AMSTERDAM, N.Y. -Mohawk Lifts, a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty lifting equipment, announces a new Lifting Table. Now capable of lifting up to 2,500 lbs.

Engineered to accommodate transmissions or diDerential repairs and auto EV battery service.

The post Mohawk Lifts NEW Scissor Lifting Table appeared first on School Transportation News.

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va., – GreenPower Motor Company Inc. (NASDAQ: GP) (TSXV: GPV) (“GreenPower”), a leading manufacturer and distributor of all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles serving the cargo and delivery market, shuttle and transit space and school bus sector, today announced that it has finalized the particulars for the order for 50 all-electric Type D BEAST and Mega BEAST and Type A Nano BEAST and Nano BEAST Access school buses for seven county school districts in West Virginia funded by the EPA Clean School Bus Program. The order is through GreenPower’s West Virginia dealer.

“EPA has previously awarded $18.5 million to purchase 50 GreenPower all-electric school buses and provide for the charging infrastructure associated with these purpose-built EVs,” said GreenPower President Brendan Riley. He noted the increase from the original 47 school buses announced by the EPA in January to the 50 school buses in the order is because Monongalia County School District is required to pay an additional $550,000 from its own school bus replenishment funds since the county is defined as non-priority by EPA.

“This electrification project is the type of activity Congress envisioned when it created the Clean School Bus Program in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” Riley continued. “It is a collaborative effort between seven West Virginia school districts, GreenPower, GreenPower’s statewide school bus dealer and an infrastructure provider to replace outdated, dirty diesel buses with a safe, sustainable and sensible clean alternative to get kids to and from school and extracurricular activities in a healthier environment.”

Development of the grant funded by EPA was a multi-step process designed to ensure the effective use of federal funds in deploying the most zero-emission school buses possible while creating a charging corridor throughout the state which allows for the all-electric school buses to operate both on local routes and longer distances.

“As the statewide dealer, we partnered with GreenPower as the OEM to first meet individually with each school district to gauge their interest in participating in the grant process. Each of the schools had participated in the #YesWV All-Electric School Bus Pilot Project, so they were familiar with GreenPower’s school buses and knew they were well suited to meet the transportation needs of their students,” said Steve Ellis, Vice President of Sales for GreenPower’s dealer. “The schools then all came together as a group and jointly decided how to proceed with the application process.”

GreenPower collaborated with its Dealer and Highland Electric Fleet and they, collectively, made depot visits to each school district to establish their needs. They then provided guidance on the charging infrastructure, drafted the application, met with the school districts’ Boards of Education for approval, and submitted the grant application to the EPA.

The 50 GreenPower buses will be distributed as follows:
Cabell County School District – 6 BEASTs
Calhoun County School District – 3 BEASTs and 1 Nano BEAST
Clay County School District – 3 BEASTs
Grant County School District – 3 BEASTs and 2 Nano BEASTs
Kanawha County School District – 21 BEASTs
Lewis County School District – 6 BEASTs
Monongalia County School District – 1 Mega BEAST and 4 Nano BEASTs

“GreenPower’s all-electric school buses are eligible for rebate funding under the current round of the federal Clean School Bus Program and for the California Zero-Emission School Bus and Infrastructure (ZESBI) program,” said Paul Start, GreenPower’s Vice President of Sales – School Bus Group. “Applications for the $965 million in Clean School Bus Program funding are due by January 9, 2025 and for the $500 million ZESBI funding by November 22, 2024.” For assistance with grant applications, school districts should contact Start at paul.s@greenpowermotor.com.

GreenPower’s BEAST is a purpose-built 40-foot Type D all-electric, zero-emission school bus with seating for up to 90 students. Designed from the ground up, it is a unified structure that features a seamlessly integrated aluminum body made from extruded aluminum manufactured by Constellium on a high strength steel Truss (bus) chassis. The complete flat floor design allows for tracking with no obstacles, and the high floors keep students out of the crash zone. Dual port charging is standard with Level 2 rates up to 19.2 kW and DC Fast Charging rates up to 85 kW.

The Mega BEAST has a class-leading range of up to 300 miles on a single charge via a 387 kWh battery pack. It provides for the longest range, has the biggest battery pack in the school bus market, provides for more uphill climbing power and has the most desirable V2G capability for a more stable electric grid and community sustainability in areas where it is deployed.

The School Transportation News award-winning Nano BEAST has a standard 118 kWh battery pack and a range of up to 140 miles. Configured for up to 24 passengers, it features a seamlessly integrated aluminum body made from extruded aluminum manufactured by Constellium. The dual port charging is standard, with Level 2 rates up to 19.2 kW and DC Fast Charging rates up to 60 kW. The Nano BEAST Access has seating for up to 18 ambulatory passengers and up to 3+ Q’STRAINT wheelchair securements, complemented with a BraunAbility rear curbside lift.

About GreenPower Motor Company, Inc.
GreenPower designs, builds and distributes a full suite of high-floor and low-floor all-electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles, including transit buses, school buses, shuttles, cargo vans and a cab and chassis. GreenPower employs a clean-sheet design to manufacture all-electric vehicles that are purpose-built to be battery powered with zero emissions while integrating global suppliers for key components. This OEM platform allows GreenPower to meet the specifications of various operators while providing standard parts for ease of maintenance and accessibility for warranty requirements. GreenPower was founded in Vancouver, Canada with primary operational facilities in southern California. Listed on the Toronto exchange since November 2015, GreenPower completed its U.S. IPO and NASDAQ listing in August 2020. For further information go to www.greenpowermotor.com.

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Brian Joyner and Karim Johnson, two seasoned pros in the school transportation business, find themselves in new roles but dealing with the same challenges as they joined peers across the nation working to achieve a smooth start to the new academic year.

Meanwhile, surveys released over the summer by two transportation companies shed light not only on those challenges but some of the high expectations expressed by parents nationwide.

Zūm, which serves more than 4,000 school sites with end-to-end transportation technology solutions and electric fleets, found that 84 percent of parents surveyed said the U.S. school bus system could stand to improve.

“This new survey shows that most parents are looking for increased safety and transparency on the school bus, as well as healthier, more sustainable rides for their children,” said Ritu Narayan, the company’s founder and CEO.

Meanwhile, the HopSkipDrive 2024 State of School Transportation Report found 91 percent of the 400 fleet managers surveyed said their operations are “constrained by school bus driver shortages, staying steady from 2023 and increased from 88 percent in 2022.”

Additionally, 64 percent of parents said coordinating school transportation is “the most stressful part of the back-to-school season.” (HopSkipDrive said it provides
more than 10,000 school sites in 13 states with alternative transportation options. Its employees also build software and provide advisory services that solve districts’ transportation challenges.)

The HopSkipDrive survey of 500 parents of school aged children around the country also found that 62 percent said driving their children to and from school or activities has caused them to miss work. “Among parents, more than three-quarters (79 percent) say they or their partner/spouse drive their children to and from school, and 41 percent of their schools have eliminated or reduced their children’s school bus services,” a company news release stated. “(Twenty-one) percent say transportation challenges are the biggest contributor to chronic absenteeism, more so than family decisions regarding student health.”

The Zūm survey suggests parents are searching for more flexibility, with 63 percent of them saying their kids would miss less school if “more convenient school transportation options were available.”

More than eight in 10 expressed interest in using a mobile app to stay informed of their child’s location on the school bus and would use a mobile app to “know their child’s bus arrival time, similar to tracking an Uber driver’s arrival.” In fact, the Zum survey noted that, “Out of those who don’t use the school bus to transport their children, 40 percent said they would reconsider if they could track their child’s arrival and departure.”

Neither Joyner, who was promoted to transportation director of the Union County Public Schools in North Carolina, after 16 years in the department, nor Johnson, who is in his second year as transportation director for the Stafford County (Va.) Public Schools after serving in a similar position in New York state for several years and before that as a transportation operations and routing supervisor for several school districts in South Carolina, were surprised by those results. Joyner described the driver shortage as “our biggest struggle.”

It’s not as bad as what it has been, but we’re definitely not where we need to be,” he said. He attributed an uptick in applicants and success retaining drivers to an hourly pay increase for all drivers, including a $20 minimum hourly rate in place of a previous per-semester attendance bonus. The move puts the district on a more competitive footing with surrounding districts and area bus companies.

“Each semester, they could miss up to five days excused and get the bonus, but the bonus was never guaranteed year to year depending on finances. So, I asked them, ‘Would you rather have an attendance bonus or an increase in pay?’ The majority of drivers said, ‘We want an increase in pay,’” Joyner said. “We talked to finance and the school board and everyone agreed that we could pull off $20 an hour. Our existing drivers were making more than that, and we adjusted our whole scale.”

HopSkipDrive CEO and co-founder Joanna McFarland said her company’s annual survey “shows a continued need for inventive thinking, and a stalwart commitment to our students and parents, to work to overcome real, significant challenges like this continuing bus driver shortage.

“It shouldn’t be this hard for our hard-working educational leaders when new options are at hand,” McFarland continued. “The current state of our school transportation system demands we all work to ensure students and their families can access the same opportunities of education and school support.”

Johnson acknowledged a “marketplace for the alternative transportation providers. “As with any new emerging type technologies or systems, you got to start looking at all those pieces. It’s a balance,” he continued. “Unequivocally, the safest form of travel is the yellow school bus. Nobody will deny that. When you start trying to dial back from that, how does that look? How can you replicate what makes the yellow bus safe in that alternative transportation space? The industry is working through that because I don’t think alternative transportation is going to go away and there’s a niche for it.”

Interestingly, the two surveys revealed a gap between parents’ expectations and school leaders’ priorities on bus electrification. Eighty percent of parents in the Zūm survey expressed concern about the dangers of diesel fumes and 64 percent said they believe it’s important to convert to electric. Meanwhile, 73 percent of school leaders told HopSkipDrive that electrifying their fleet is either not very important or not important at all.

Johnson said the gap is not as stark as those numbers suggest. “I honestly think nobody in the industry disagrees on anything that benefits the health, welfare and
safety of a child. So, if it’s electric buses, propane, hydrogen fuel cell, if we get there, whatever technology that’s going to make it healthier and safer for school children, everybody is 100 percent on board,” he said.

Johnson, who oversaw the addition of five electric buses and supporting infrastructure at the Bethlehem Central School District in Delmar, New York, in 2021, said an issue is the practicality of deploying those technologies. “It’s not that simple. Now the transportation director has to put on his contractor hat, become an electrical engineer, figure out how to pay for it. In Bethlehem there was a team, not only me, but it was also the facilities director, our business official in the central office, the school board, the community. We were able to successfully deploy the project and it worked for that particular school system but the situation is different in different places,” he said, noting for a variety of reasons that none of the Stafford district’s 311 buses run on alternative fuels.

“You’ve got to look at all those pieces, and then when you start getting into the budgets, how is that sustainable? You can basically buy two (diesel) buses for one EV, and you’re struggling just to be able to buy buses for your fleet. How can you justify to your taxpayers that you’re basically buying one bus for every two?”

Joyner agreed. “We do have some propane buses, but I haven’t heard any interest at all on electrification…,” he added. “For electrification, we’d have to hire a different type of technician, and I also worry about how long is that bus going to last us.”

The HopSkipDrive poll also found 60 percent of school leaders said they’ve eliminated or reduced bus services this year, up from 40 percent last year. Joyner said the Union County district consolidated routes coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, including pulling service from gated communities. “We changed bell times up to about 20 minutes to some schools. That way allows us to go back and run quick doubles morning and afternoon, if need be,” he said. “So, we went from roughly 289 buses pre-COVID to 202 this year and added seven minivans to our fleet to help with our EC and McKinney-Vento kids.”

A New Approach
Last year’s school start was anything but smooth for the Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, Kentucky. Classes were delayed one week due to a “pretty catastrophic opening day… where we had routes that were way too long, a huge lack of bus drivers, and our service was pretty bad,” said Rob Fulk, the district’s chief operations officer. “We spent a year in that hell, where we had schools that were waiting two to three hours after the bell to have kids picked up. We had students going late to school. We had a very clear impetus to change, and we felt by focusing entirely on good service and good communication between our schools, our parents and our bus drivers that we could solve the problem.”

The result was a complete overhaul of the district routing plan and a procedural rewrite of how the transportation department supports schools, tracks buses and responds to issues. “There wasn’t any aspect that we didn’t change dramatically in our transportation department, including going back to geographic regions, starting a district-based routing team as opposed to using any outside vendor, and our own internal routers,” Fulk said.

“We completely changed how we did our intake, call center and communications with parents. We added significant technology to all of our buses. One of the big game changers for us was Samsara technology, which gave us several cameras on every bus that allowed us real time [access] to see where students were, what stops they got off, as well as real-time GPS on the bus that gives us exactly where it’s at, what their timing is on the route, and a whole host of other things.”

Another plus was driver input sought by Fulk, transportation director Marcus Dobbs, and their teams. “We really partnered with our bus drivers’ primary union, Teamsters Local 783, as we made changes and we would solicit a pretty significant amount of feedback,” Fulk said.

Meanwhile, the district’s communication department created a system including a call center, to receive parents’ feedback and quickly inform them of transportation changes. A crucial change was to address the need to increase driver ranks, which numbered roughly 1,100 a decade ago but ended last year at around 550.

“One of the huge issues we had last year was we were running in excess of 70 routes that were uncovered every day because of lack of drivers, which creates an extremely inefficient system,” Fulk said. “We had drivers putting in 10 hours, 11 hours a day, which is nice for a paycheck in terms of overtime, but when that’s what you do on the regular, that really burns them out. And at the time, I would say that our bus driver pay was not really competitive with some of the other industries in the city that require a CDL.”

Today, the district pays drivers a starting wage of $29 an hour, with extra pay on some routes such as an early childhood run. “We also pay them all at eight hours now and we don’t do the traditional [payment] model that a lot of districts do. If you come to us with no CDL, we train you on the CDL, and we train you on the S [endorsement]. And if you come to us with one or both of those, we’ll give you a bonus after you’ve worked with us for a certain amount of time.”

He praised the district’s human resources staff for holding targeted driver-hiring fairs that were “one-stop shops where you could get your physical done, get your dock card and go through all the steps so that it was less likely that we lost the applicant from application to their first certification class,” he said

Navigating School Start Up
Back in North Carolina, Johnson said the role of attendants or monitors on special education vehicles cannot be underestimated in the smooth delivery of transportation services.

“We talk a lot about school bus drivers, but I definitely want to put out there that attendants are definitely required and part of the team, and we sometimes forget about them,” he said. “But for transportation directors that have lots of SPED routes, you find out that not having that attendant sometimes means that bus can’t roll. Some people think that because they don’t have a CDL, they’re easier to get, but an attendant is not just someone you put on the bus. They need to be trained as much as your driver in order to support students and that’s not a fit for everybody. So, sometimes there’s a shortage of attendants, too.”

Jim Hessel, transportation director of the School District of Cameron in Wisconsin, said new transportation directors (and experienced ones, for that matter) should remember to take care of themselves, know when enough is enough and look for help when considering how to get the academic year off to a smooth start and keeping it on that path.

“The best advice I have to offer is to learn how to manage the stress of the job,” he said. “There are always problems that are going to come up, but how do you deal with them? The first step is to determine if there is even anything you can do about the problem. There are situations that are just out of our control and are not worth wasting time worrying about. You also need to resist the pressure to work on something constantly until you solve it.

He noted that sometimes the focus remains on old solutions, despite those already being ruled out. He advised taking a break or working on another project to clear one’s mind. This can be when a solution, that should have been obvious from the start, presents itself.

“Remember that you are surrounded by other school districts with personnel that are going through most of the same things you are going through. Get to know at least one or two of them and share your ideas and your problems,” Hessel advised. “Finally, I would suggest that you don’t let your job become your whole life. No matter if you are a school district’s transportation director, a bus driver, or the owner of a bus contracting company, you need to have time for yourself that has nothing to do with school buses. The same would apply to anyone in any career. You’ll be more energized and focused when you get back to work after allowing some of the clutter in your brain to escape.”

Editor’s Note: As reprinted in the October 2024 issue of School Transportation News.

Related: (Recorded Webinar) Collaboration, Cooperation & Change: Realigning Transportation to Meet Student Needs
Related: The Route to Safer School Buses
Related: Webinar Reviews Community Benefits of School Bus Electrification
Related: What Do You Really Need from Technology?

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GOSHEN, Ohio – Petermann Bus, a student transportation leader dedicated to safety, has donated a school bus to Goshen Township Fire and EMS for emergency rescue training focused on large vehicles, which includes school buses, cement trucks, semis, and more.

This donation was made as part of Petermann Bus’s company-wide Partners Beyond the Bus community outreach program. These bus donations help repurpose retired, non-electric vehicles from the Company’s fleets, further contributing to the Company’s transition to alternative fuel-powered and zero-emission buses. In addition to this bus donation, the team has also contributed to the community through Stuff the Bus events and just this past summer, donated a “Grub Bus” to the Goshen Local School District as a way to deliver warm meals to students.

“We are extremely grateful for this bus donation from Petermann Bus,” said Edward Myers, Chief, Goshen Township Fire and EMS. “These larger vehicles are hard to obtain for training purposes and invaluable for the training experience our team gets out of it. While we hope to never respond to a school bus crash, in the event that we do, these trainings keep us prepared in becoming familiar with the structures of these larger vehicles. Thank you again to Petermann for their donation and contribution to our community’s safety.”

“Safety is and will always be our number one priority,” said Dan Harmon, General Manager, Petermann Bus. “We are glad that this bus donation will be put to effective use by the fire department for their safety training. There is a sense of pride to be felt knowing this donation will contribute to the overall safety of the community and our students, especially since we’ve been part of the community for over two decades. Thank you again to our firefighters and other frontline emergency and medical workers for their dedication to our community.”

About Petermann Bus: As an industry-leading student transportation provider, Petermann Bus provides safe and reliable transportation to students in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Since 1921, we have been committed to Excellence and upholding our mission of getting students to school safely, on time, and ready to learn. Through this mission and a grassroots approach to our operations, Petermann Bus has earned recognition as a trusted transportation provider among our Customers and the Communities we serve.

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CAMPBELL, Calif. —ChargePoint (NYSE: CHPT), a leading provider of networked charging solutions for electric vehicles (EVs), today announced the availability of a low-cost charging solution to enable more fleets to go electric. Priced at $699, the Level 2 charger lowers the barrier to entry for fleet electrification, while still enabling access to one of the world’s most advanced fleet and telematics software platforms. ChargePoint’s suite of products enable a seamless charging experience for fleet operators and drivers, is estimated to lower total cost of ownership, and helps fleets meet their emissions reduction goals.

Flexible and affordable, ChargePoint’s CPF50, enables those who are considering electric vehicles for their fleet to affordably procure and install charging while maximizing the benefits of going electric. Fleet operators are able to optimize their total cost of ownership (TCO) by bundling ChargePoint’s fleet management software which includes real time-visibility of vehicle readiness, power usage and station status; energy management tools to maximize fuel savings; control station access; and simplify complexity and station management with ease using an all-in-one solution. Multiple CPF50s can be managed from the platform, enabling power sharing via the cloud to reduce charging costs and optimize battery health, and can be configured with either J1772 or NACS connectors to meet any fleet’s needs, regardless of vehicle or connector type.

“ChargePoint has always been committed to making it easy for everyone to go electric, whether they be a driver, a business, or a fleet,” said Rick Wilmer, CEO of ChargePoint. “With our lowest cost charger for commercial vehicles we have a solution that makes charging more accessible for small businesses who want to electrify their fleet, or for large fleets that are focused on reducing total cost of ownership. We’re making the hardware more affordable, and when combined with our powerful fleet software platform, the offering can meet the charging needs of fleets of all sizes to optimize their savings.”

Fleets are going electric to maximize cost savings, whilst simultaneously meeting sustainability goals by lowering their emissions. Transportation represents the largest contributor of direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the U.S., responsible for nearly 30% of total direct GHG emissions. Broader deployment of zero emissions vehicles likes commercial trucks will play a key role in meeting federal emissions reductions targets. Fleet operators need the right tools to optimize these mixed fuel fleets and prepare for a majority-electric future.

Commercial electric vehicles have long been in development but are only now beginning to arrive in volume. New vehicles across the spectrum of light, medium, and heavy-duty trucks and vans are ramping up production in North America and Europe, enabling many fleets to finally realize the benefits of electrification.

In the realm of heavy-duty vehicles, ChargePoint expects Megawatt charging will reshape the feasibility of electrified long-haul transport. Chargers capable of delivering energy up to 20 times the speed of existing DC chargers for passenger vehicles will ensure a long-haul truck can recharge in less than an hour, taking on energy at a rate that could power a professional sports venue like Yankee Stadium on a game day.

As these light, medium and heavy-duty vehicles come to market, fleet operators need solutions to address the right scenario for them yet leave the flexibility to scale. From the $699 CPF50 up to a Megawatt Charging Solution, ChargePoint enables fleets of all sizes to seamlessly go electric with a leading portfolio of software and hardware solutions. Regardless of the charger model installed, ChargePoint’s fleet software is the true enabler of fleet optimization, whether the fleet encompasses 3 vehicles or 3000.

For more information, please visit: www.chargepoint.com.

ChargePoint and the ChargePoint logo are trademarks of ChargePoint, Inc. in the United States and in jurisdictions throughout the world. All other trademarks, trade names, or service marks used or mentioned herein belong to their respective owners.

About ChargePoint Holdings, Inc.
ChargePoint has been an innovator of all things EV charging since 2007, before the first mass market electric vehicle was on the road. ChargePoint offers solutions for the entire EV ecosystem including drivers, charging station owners, vehicle manufacturers and others. Accessible and reliable, ChargePoint’s portfolio of software, hardware, and services enables a seamless experience for drivers across North America and Europe. With ChargePoint, every driver who needs to charge can do so, accessing more than 1 million places to charge globally. ChargePoint has powered more than 10 billion electric miles and will continue to innovate as part of a mission to lower global emissions while improving the future of transportation. For more information, visit the ChargePoint pressroom, the ChargePoint Investor Relations site, or contact the ChargePoint North American or European press offices or Investor Relations.

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